וְעַתָּ֣ה אַל־תֵּעָ֣צְב֗וּ וְאַל־יִ֨חַר֙ בְּעֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם כִּֽי־מְכַרְתֶּ֥ם אֹתִ֖י הֵ֑נָּה כִּ֣י לְמִֽחְיָ֔ה שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים לִפְנֵיכֶֽם׃
And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.
Morphology
- וְעַתָּ֣ה (ve’atah) – Root: עַתָּה (atah); Form: Conjunction with adverb; Translation: “and now”; Notes: Marks a transition to a present appeal.
- אַל־תֵּעָ֣צְב֗וּ (al-te’atzvu) – Root: עצב (atzav); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 2mp with negation; Translation: “do not be distressed”; Notes: A comforting command to ease their distress.
- וְאַל־יִ֨חַר֙ (ve’al-yikhar) – Root: חרה (charah); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with negation; Translation: “and do not be angry”; Notes: Command to avoid anger or resentment.
- בְּעֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם (be’eineikhem) – Root: עַיִן (ayin); Form: Noun, feminine plural with 2mp suffix; Translation: “in your eyes”; Notes: Refers to their perspective or feelings.
- כִּֽי־מְכַרְתֶּ֥ם (ki-mechartem) – Root: מכר (machar); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 2mp; Translation: “because you sold”; Notes: Refers to the action of selling Yosef.
- אֹתִ֖י (oti) – Root: אֵת (et); Form: Preposition with 1cs suffix; Translation: “me”; Notes: Refers to Yosef as the object of the selling.
- הֵ֑נָּה (henah) – Form: Adverb of place; Translation: “here”; Notes: Indicates the location to which Yosef was sold.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for Yosef’s presence.
- לְמִֽחְיָ֔ה (lemikhyah) – Root: חיה (chayah); Form: Noun, feminine singular with preposition; Translation: “to preserve life”; Notes: Refers to the purpose of Yosef’s mission.
- שְׁלָחַ֥נִי (shelachani) – Root: שלח (shalach); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3ms with 1cs suffix; Translation: “he sent me”; Notes: Refers to God’s action in sending Yosef.
- אֱלֹהִ֖ים (Elohim) – Root: אֱלֹהִים (Elohim); Form: Proper noun, masculine plural; Translation: “God”; Notes: The one who orchestrated Yosef’s journey.
- לִפְנֵיכֶֽם (lifneikhem) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Noun, masculine plural with preposition and 2mp suffix; Translation: “before you”; Notes: Indicates that Yosef was sent ahead of his brothers.