וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלֵ֗ינוּ הָאִישׁ֙ אֲדֹנֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ בְּזֹ֣את אֵדַ֔ע כִּ֥י כֵנִ֖ים אַתֶּ֑ם אֲחִיכֶ֤ם הָֽאֶחָד֙ הַנִּ֣יחוּ אִתִּ֔י וְאֶת־רַעֲבֹ֥ון בָּתֵּיכֶ֖ם קְח֥וּ וָלֵֽכוּ׃
And the man, the lord of the land, said to us, “By this I will know that you are honest: leave one of your brothers with me, and take for the hunger of your households, and go.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vayomer) – Root: אָמַר (amar); Form: Verb, Qal, Consecutive Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduction to the statement made by the man.
- אֵלֵ֗ינוּ (eleinu) – Root: אֵל (el); Form: Preposition with 1cp suffix; Translation: “to us”; Notes: Refers to the direction of the speech towards the brothers.
- הָאִישׁ֙ (ha’ish) – Root: אִישׁ (ish); Form: Noun, ms with definite article; Translation: “the man”; Notes: Refers to Yosef, the lord of the land.
- אֲדֹנֵ֣י (adonei) – Root: אָדוֹן (adon); Form: Noun, ms construct; Translation: “lord of”; Notes: Describes the authority of Yosef.
- הָאָ֔רֶץ (ha’aretz) – Root: אֶרֶץ (eretz); Form: Noun, fs with definite article; Translation: “the land”; Notes: Refers specifically to the land of Egypt.
- בְּזֹ֣את (bezot) – Root: זֶה (zeh); Form: Preposition with fs demonstrative pronoun; Translation: “By this”; Notes: Introduces the condition given by Yosef.
- אֵדַ֔ע (eda) – Root: יָדַע (yada); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 1cs; Translation: “I will know”; Notes: Indicates Yosef’s intention to test the brothers’ honesty.
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Connects the reason for Yosef’s command.
- כֵנִ֖ים (kenim) – Root: כֵן (ken); Form: Adjective, mp; Translation: “honest”; Notes: Describes the expected quality of the brothers.
- אַתֶּ֑ם (atem) – Root: אַתֶּם (atem); Form: Pronoun, 2mp; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to the brothers as the subject.
- אֲחִיכֶ֤ם (achichem) – Root: אָח (ach); Form: Noun, ms with 2mp suffix; Translation: “your brother”; Notes: Refers to one of the brothers to be left behind.
- הָֽאֶחָד֙ (ha’echad) – Root: אֶחָד (echad); Form: Adjective, ms with definite article; Translation: “the one”; Notes: Specifies the singular brother to be detained.
- הַנִּ֣יחוּ (hanichu) – Root: נָח (nach); Form: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, 2mp; Translation: “leave”; Notes: Command given to leave one brother behind.
- אִתִּ֔י (itti) – Root: אֵת (et); Form: Preposition with 1cs suffix; Translation: “with me”; Notes: Indicates Yosef’s custody of the brother.
- וְאֶת־רַעֲבֹ֥ון (ve’et-ra’avon) – Root: רָעָב (ra’av); Form: Noun, ms with accusative marker; Translation: “provision for hunger”; Notes: Refers to the food supply for the family.
- בָּתֵּיכֶ֖ם (bateichem) – Root: בַּיִת (bayit); Form: Noun, mp with 2mp suffix; Translation: “your households”; Notes: Refers to the family members back home.
- קְח֥וּ (kechu) – Root: לָקַח (lakach); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperative, 2mp; Translation: “take”; Notes: Command to take provisions.
- וָלֵֽכוּ (valehu) – Root: הָלַך (halach); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperative, 2mp; Translation: “and go”; Notes: Instruction for the brothers to leave after taking provisions.