אִם־כֵּנִ֣ים אַתֶּ֔ם אֲחִיכֶ֣ם אֶחָ֔ד יֵאָסֵ֖ר בְּבֵ֣ית מִשְׁמַרְכֶ֑ם וְאַתֶּם֙ לְכ֣וּ הָבִ֔יאוּ שֶׁ֖בֶר רַעֲבֹ֥ון בָּתֵּיכֶֽם׃
If you are honest, let one of your brothers be confined in your prison house, while the rest of you go and bring grain for the famine in your households.
Morphology
- אִם (im) – Root: אִם (im); Form: Conditional particle; Translation: “If”; Notes: Introduces a conditional clause.
- כֵּנִ֣ים (kenim) – Root: כֵּן (ken); Form: Adjective, mp; Translation: “honest”; Notes: Describes the integrity of the brothers.
- אַתֶּ֔ם (atem) – Root: אַתֶּם (atem); Form: Pronoun, 2mp; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to Yosef’s brothers.
- אֲחִיכֶ֣ם (achikhem) – Root: אָח (ach); Form: Noun, ms with 2mp suffix; Translation: “your brother”; Notes: Refers to one brother among them.
- אֶחָ֔ד (echad) – Root: אֶחָד (echad); Form: Adjective, ms; Translation: “one”; Notes: Specifies the number of brothers to be held.
- יֵאָסֵ֖ר (ye’aser) – Root: אָסַר (asar); Form: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “be confined”; Notes: Passive form, indicating that one brother is to be held.
- בְּבֵ֣ית (bebeit) – Root: בַּיִת (bayit); Form: Noun, ms construct; Translation: “in the house of”; Notes: Construct form with “mishmarchem.”
- מִשְׁמַרְכֶ֑ם (mishmarchem) – Root: מִשְׁמָר (mishmar); Form: Noun, ms with 2mp suffix; Translation: “your prison”; Notes: Refers to the place of confinement.
- וְאַתֶּם֙ (ve’atem) – Root: אַתֶּם (atem); Form: Conjunction + pronoun, 2mp; Translation: “and you”; Notes: Emphasizes the command to the remaining brothers.
- לְכ֣וּ (lechu) – Root: הָלַךְ (halakh); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperative, 2mp; Translation: “go”; Notes: Direct command to the brothers.
- הָבִ֔יאוּ (havi’u) – Root: בּוֹא (bo); Form: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, 2mp; Translation: “bring”; Notes: Command to bring provisions back.
- שֶׁ֖בֶר (shever) – Root: שֶׁבֶר (shever); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “grain”; Notes: Refers to food supplies during famine.
- רַעֲבֹ֥ון (ra’avon) – Root: רָעָב (ra’av); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “famine”; Notes: The cause of their journey for food.
- בָּתֵּיכֶֽם (bateikhem) – Root: בַּיִת (bayit); Form: Noun, mp with 2mp suffix; Translation: “your households”; Notes: Refers to their families in need of food.