וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֗יו אֲבָל֮ אֲשֵׁמִ֣ים אֲנַחְנוּ֮ עַל־אָחִינוּ֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר רָאִ֜ינוּ צָרַ֥ת נַפְשֹׁ֛ו בְּהִתְחַֽנְנֹ֥ו אֵלֵ֖ינוּ וְלֹ֣א שָׁמָ֑עְנוּ עַל־כֵּן֙ בָּ֣אָה אֵלֵ֔ינוּ הַצָּרָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת׃
And they said to one another, “Indeed, we are guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, but we did not listen. Therefore, this distress has come upon us.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ (vayomeru) – Root: אָמַר (amar); Form: Verb, Qal, Consecutive Imperfect, 3mp; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Refers to the brothers speaking among themselves.
- אִ֣ישׁ (ish) – Root: אִישׁ (ish); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Refers to each brother individually.
- אֶל־אָחִ֗יו (el-achiv) – Root: אָח (ach); Form: Preposition “to” + noun, ms with 3ms suffix; Translation: “to his brother”; Notes: Describes their conversation directed toward one another.
- אֲבָל֮ (aval) – Form: Interjection; Translation: “Indeed”; Notes: Expresses an acknowledgment or realization.
- אֲשֵׁמִ֣ים (ashmim) – Root: אָשֵׁם (asham); Form: Adjective, mp; Translation: “guilty”; Notes: Refers to the brothers’ sense of guilt.
- אֲנַחְנוּ֮ (anachnu) – Form: Pronoun, 1cp; Translation: “we”; Notes: Emphasizes the collective admission of guilt.
- עַל־אָחִינוּ֒ (al-achinu) – Root: אָח (ach); Form: Preposition “on” + noun, ms with 1cp suffix; Translation: “concerning our brother”; Notes: Indicates the subject of their guilt.
- אֲשֶׁ֨ר (asher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for their guilt.
- רָאִ֜ינוּ (ra’inu) – Root: רָאָה (ra’ah); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 1cp; Translation: “we saw”; Notes: Refers to their awareness of Yosef’s suffering.
- צָרַ֥ת (tsarat) – Root: צָרָה (tsarah); Form: Noun, fs construct; Translation: “the distress of”; Notes: Describes Yosef’s suffering.
- נַפְשֹׁ֛ו (nafsho) – Root: נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh); Form: Noun, fs with 3ms suffix; Translation: “his soul”; Notes: Indicates Yosef’s inner anguish.
- בְּהִתְחַֽנְנֹ֥ו (behitchanno) – Root: חָנַן (chanan); Form: Verb, Hitpael, Infinitive Construct, 3ms suffix; Translation: “when he pleaded”; Notes: Describes Yosef’s appeal for mercy.
- אֵלֵ֖ינוּ (eleinu) – Root: אֵל (el); Form: Preposition “to” with 1cp suffix; Translation: “to us”; Notes: Indicates that Yosef’s pleas were directed at them.
- וְלֹ֣א (velo) – Form: Conjunction + negation; Translation: “but not”; Notes: Contrasts their inaction with Yosef’s pleading.
- שָׁמָ֑עְנוּ (shama’nu) – Root: שָׁמַע (shama); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 1cp; Translation: “we listened”; Notes: Acknowledges their failure to respond to Yosef’s pleas.
- עַל־כֵּן֙ (al-ken) – Form: Preposition “therefore”; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Introduces the consequence of their actions.
- בָּ֣אָה (ba’ah) – Root: בּוֹא (bo); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3fs; Translation: “has come”; Notes: Refers to the arrival of their current distress.
- אֵלֵ֔ינוּ (eleinu) – Root: אֵל (el); Form: Preposition “to” with 1cp suffix; Translation: “upon us”; Notes: Indicates that the distress has come upon them.
- הַצָּרָ֖ה (hatzarah) – Root: צָרָה (tsarah); Form: Noun, fs with definite article; Translation: “the distress”; Notes: Refers to their current hardship.
- הַזֹּֽאת (hazot) – Root: זֶה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, fs; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies the particular distress they are experiencing.