וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ אֵלָ֜יו יְהוּדָ֗ה וַיֹּאמֶר֮ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִי֒ יְדַבֶּר־נָ֨א עַבְדְּךָ֤ דָבָר֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י וְאַל־יִ֥חַר אַפְּךָ֖ בְּעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י כָמֹ֖וךָ כְּפַרְעֹֽה׃
And Yehuda approached him and said, “Please, my lord, let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and do not let your anger burn against your servant, for you are like Par’o.”
Morphology
- וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ (vayiggash) – Root: נָגַשׁ (nagash); Form: Verb, Qal, Consecutive Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “And he approached”; Notes: Refers to Yehudah drawing near to speak.
- אֵלָ֜יו (elav) – Root: אֶל (el); Form: Preposition with 3ms suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Indicates the direction of Yehudah’s approach.
- יְהוּדָ֗ה (Yehudah) – Root: יְהוּדָה (Yehudah); Form: Proper noun, ms; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: Name of the speaker, one of Yosef’s brothers.
- וַיֹּאמֶר֮ (vayomer) – Root: אָמַר (amar); Form: Verb, Qal, Consecutive Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Introduces Yehudah’s speech.
- בִּ֣י (bi) – Root: בִּי (bi); Form: Preposition with 1cs suffix; Translation: “Please”; Notes: Used as a polite entreaty in addressing a superior.
- אֲדֹנִי֒ (adoni) – Root: אָדוֹן (adon); Form: Noun, ms with 1cs suffix; Translation: “my lord”; Notes: Honorific used for respectful address.
- יְדַבֶּר־נָ֨א (yedabber-na) – Root: דָּבַר (dabar); Form: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, 3ms + particle “na”; Translation: “let him speak, please”; Notes: Indicates Yehudah’s polite request to speak.
- עַבְדְּךָ֤ (avdekha) – Root: עֶבֶד (eved); Form: Noun, ms with 2ms suffix; Translation: “your servant”; Notes: Refers to Yehudah’s humble position relative to Yosef.
- דָבָר֙ (davar) – Root: דָּבָר (davar); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “a word”; Notes: Represents the content of Yehudah’s speech.
- בְּאָזְנֵ֣י (be’oznei) – Root: אֹזֶן (ozen); Form: Noun, fd construct with preposition; Translation: “in the ears of”; Notes: Indicates intimate, direct communication.
- אֲדֹנִ֔י (adoni) – Root: אָדוֹן (adon); Form: Noun, ms with 1cs suffix; Translation: “my lord”; Notes: Addressing Yosef with respect.
- וְאַל־יִ֥חַר (ve-al-yikhar) – Root: חָרָה (charah); Form: Conjunction + verb, Qal, Jussive, 3ms; Translation: “and do not let it burn”; Notes: Yehudah requests Yosef’s patience.
- אַפְּךָ֖ (appekha) – Root: אַף (af); Form: Noun, ms with 2ms suffix; Translation: “your anger”; Notes: Refers to Yosef’s potential anger.
- בְּעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ (be’avdekha) – Root: עֶבֶד (eved); Form: Noun, ms with preposition and 2ms suffix; Translation: “against your servant”; Notes: Refers to Yehudah’s humility.
- כִּ֥י כָמֹ֖וךָ (ki kamokha) – Root: כָּמוֹ (kamo); Form: Preposition with 2ms suffix; Translation: “for you are like”; Notes: Shows Yehudah’s respect for Yosef.
- כְּפַרְעֹֽה (ke-Pharaoh) – Root: פַרְעֹה (Pharaoh); Form: Proper noun with prefix; Translation: “Pharaoh”; Notes: Yehudah equates Yosef’s authority to that of Pharaoh.