וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ שִׁמְשֹׁ֔ון אָחֽוּדָה־נָּ֥א לָכֶ֖ם חִידָ֑ה אִם־הַגֵּ֣ד תַּגִּידוּ֩ אֹותָ֨הּ לִ֜י שִׁבְעַ֨ת יְמֵ֤י הַמִּשְׁתֶּה֙ וּמְצָאתֶ֔ם וְנָתַתִּ֤י לָכֶם֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים סְדִינִ֔ים וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים חֲלִפֹ֥ת בְּגָדִֽים׃
And Shimshon said to them, “Let me now propose a riddle to you. If you indeed declare it to me within the seven days of the feast and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (vayomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Standard narrative verb.
- לָהֶם֙ (lahem) – Root: ל (l) + הם (hem); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Indicates the indirect object of the speech.
- שִׁמְשֹׁ֔ון (Shimshon) – Root: שמש (shemesh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Shimshon”; Notes: Refers to the biblical figure Samson.
- אָחֽוּדָה־נָּ֥א (aḥudah-na) – Root: חוד (ḥud); Form: Hifil cohortative 1st person singular; Translation: “Let me now propose”; Notes: Expresses intention or proposal.
- לָכֶ֖ם (lachem) – Root: ל (l) + כם (chem); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Directs the statement to the listeners.
- חִידָ֑ה (ḥidah) – Root: חוד (ḥud); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “riddle”; Notes: Refers to a puzzle or enigma.
- אִם־הַגֵּ֣ד (im-hagged) – Root: נגד (nagad); Form: Hifil infinitive absolute; Translation: “if you indeed declare”; Notes: Used for emphasis.
- תַּגִּידוּ֩ (taggidu) – Root: נגד (nagad); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you declare”; Notes: Refers to answering the riddle.
- אֹותָ֨הּ (otah) – Root: את (ot); Form: Pronoun, 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it”; Notes: Refers to the riddle.
- לִ֜י (li) – Root: ל (l) + י (i); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Indicates the recipient of the answer.
- שִׁבְעַ֨ת (shivʿat) – Root: שבע (shevaʿ); Form: Numeral, masculine singular construct; Translation: “seven”; Notes: Specifies the duration of the challenge.
- יְמֵ֤י (yemei) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “days of”; Notes: Used to form a construct phrase.
- הַמִּשְׁתֶּה֙ (hamishteh) – Root: שתה (shatah); Form: Noun, masculine singular definite; Translation: “the feast”; Notes: Refers to the wedding feast.
- וּמְצָאתֶ֔ם (um’tsa’tem) – Root: מצא (matsa); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and find it out”; Notes: Indicates success in solving the riddle.
- וְנָתַתִּ֤י (venatati) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “then I will give”; Notes: Expresses a promise.
- לָכֶם֙ (lachem) – Root: ל (l) + כם (chem); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Directs the promise to the listeners.
- שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים (sheloshim) – Root: שלש (shalosh); Form: Numeral, masculine plural; Translation: “thirty”; Notes: Specifies the number of garments.
- סְדִינִ֔ים (sedinim) – Root: סדן (sedan); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “linen garments”; Notes: Fine clothing.
- וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים (ushloshim) – Root: שלש (shalosh); Form: Numeral, masculine plural; Translation: “and thirty”; Notes: Additional count of garments.
- חֲלִפֹ֥ת (ḥalifot) – Root: חלף (ḥalaf); Form: Noun, feminine plural; Translation: “changes”; Notes: Indicates different sets of clothing.
- בְּגָדִֽים (begadim) – Root: בגד (beged); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “clothes”; Notes: Complements the previous noun.