וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלֶ֔יהָ אִם־אָסֹ֤ור יַאַסְר֨וּנִי֙ בַּעֲבֹתִ֣ים חֲדָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־נַעֲשָׂ֥ה בָהֶ֖ם מְלָאכָ֑ה וְחָלִ֥יתִי וְהָיִ֖יתִי כְּאַחַ֥ד הָאָדָֽם׃
And he said to her, “If they bind me tightly with new ropes that have never been used for work, then I will become weak and be like any other man.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vayyomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- אֵלֶ֔יהָ (eleha) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “to her”; Notes: Refers to Delilah.
- אִם־אָסֹ֤ור (ʾim-asor) – Root: אסר (ʾasar); Form: Qal infinitive absolute; Translation: “If binding”; Notes: Expresses emphasis on the condition.
- יַאַסְר֨וּנִי֙ (yaʾasrunni) – Root: אסר (ʾasar); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “they bind me”; Notes: Describes an action performed upon him.
- בַּעֲבֹתִ֣ים (baʿavotim) – Root: עבת (ʿavat); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “with ropes”; Notes: Objects used for binding.
- חֲדָשִׁ֔ים (ḥadashim) – Root: חדש (ḥadash); Form: Adjective, masculine plural; Translation: “new”; Notes: Describes the condition of the ropes.
- אֲשֶׁ֛ר (ʾasher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces a clause describing the ropes.
- לֹֽא־נַעֲשָׂ֥ה (lo-naʿasah) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “have never been used”; Notes: Indicates inaction upon the ropes.
- בָהֶ֖ם (bahem) – Root: ב (be) + הם (hem); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “with them”; Notes: Refers to the ropes.
- מְלָאכָ֑ה (melaʾkhah) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “work”; Notes: Specifies the purpose that has not been performed.
- וְחָלִ֥יתִי (ve-ḥaliti) – Root: חלה (ḥalah); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “then I will become weak”; Notes: Describes the expected effect.
- וְהָיִ֖יתִי (ve-hayiti) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “and I will be”; Notes: Continuation of result.
- כְּאַחַ֥ד (ke-aḥad) – Root: אחד (ʾaḥad); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “like one”; Notes: Comparative phrase.
- הָאָדָֽם׃ (ha-adam) – Root: אדם (ʾadam); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “of men”; Notes: Refers to ordinary humans.