וַיֹּ֤אמֶר רְאוּבֵן֙ אֶל־אָבִ֣יו לֵאמֹ֔ר אֶת־שְׁנֵ֤י בָנַי֙ תָּמִ֔ית אִם־לֹ֥א אֲבִיאֶ֖נּוּ אֵלֶ֑יךָ תְּנָ֤ה אֹתֹו֙ עַל־יָדִ֔י וַאֲנִ֖י אֲשִׁיבֶ֥נּוּ אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
And Re’uven said to his father, “You may put to death my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him to you.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (vayomer) – Root: אמר (amar); Form: Verb, Qal, Consecutive Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces Re’uven’s statement to his father.
- רְאוּבֵן֙ (Re’uven) – Root: רְאוּבֵן (Re’uven); Form: Proper noun, ms; Translation: “Re’uven”; Notes: Refers to Re’uven, son of Ya’aqov.
- אֶל־אָבִ֣יו (el-aviv) – Root: אָב (av); Form: Preposition + noun, ms with 3ms suffix; Translation: “to his father”; Notes: Shows the direction of Re’uven’s speech.
- לֵאמֹ֔ר (lemor) – Root: אמר (amar); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Indicates a direct quotation follows.
- אֶת־שְׁנֵ֤י (et-shenei) – Root: שְׁנַיִם (shenayim); Form: Noun, md with accusative marker; Translation: “the two of”; Notes: Refers to Re’uven’s sons.
- בָנַי֙ (banai) – Root: בֵּן (ben); Form: Noun, mp with possessive 1cs suffix; Translation: “my sons”; Notes: Indicates Re’uven’s offer regarding his own sons.
- תָּמִ֔ית (tamit) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, 2ms; Translation: “you may put to death”; Notes: An expression of assurance from Re’uven to Ya’aqov.
- אִם־לֹ֥א (im-lo) – Form: Conditional clause; Translation: “if not”; Notes: Begins the condition regarding Re’uven’s promise.
- אֲבִיאֶ֖נּוּ (avi’ennu) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, 1cs with 3ms suffix; Translation: “I bring him”; Notes: Refers to Re’uven’s intent to return his brother.
- אֵלֶ֑יךָ (elekha) – Root: אל (el); Form: Preposition with 2ms suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Indicates direction toward Ya’aqov.
- תְּנָ֤ה (tenah) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperative, 2ms; Translation: “Put”; Notes: A directive from Re’uven asking for trust.
- אֹתֹו֙ (oto) – Root: את (et); Form: Accusative marker with 3ms suffix; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to Re’uven’s brother.
- עַל־יָדִ֔י (al-yadi) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Preposition + noun, fs with 1cs suffix; Translation: “in my care”; Notes: Indicates responsibility taken by Re’uven.
- וַאֲנִ֖י (va’ani) – Form: Pronoun, 1cs; Translation: “and I”; Notes: Emphasizes Re’uven’s role in fulfilling the promise.
- אֲשִׁיבֶ֥נּוּ (ashivennu) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, 1cs with 3ms suffix; Translation: “will return him”; Notes: Final assurance from Re’uven.
- אֵלֶֽיךָ (elekha) – Root: אל (el); Form: Preposition with 2ms suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Indicates the return to Ya’aqov.