וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ לֹ֨ו הַחֲרֵ֜שׁ שִֽׂים־יָדְךָ֤ עַל־פִּ֨יךָ֙ וְלֵ֣ךְ עִמָּ֔נוּ וֶֽהְיֵה־לָ֖נוּ לְאָ֣ב וּלְכֹהֵ֑ן הֲטֹ֣וב הֱיֹותְךָ֣ כֹהֵ֗ן לְבֵית֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֔ד אֹ֚ו הֱיֹותְךָ֣ כֹהֵ֔ן לְשֵׁ֥בֶט וּלְמִשְׁפָּחָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And they said to him, “Be silent, put your hand on your mouth, and come with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be a priest to the house of one man, or to be a priest to a tribe and a family in Yisraʾel?”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ (vayyoʾmeru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Sequential verb indicating speech.
- לֹ֨ו (lo) – Root: לו (lo); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Indicates direction of speech.
- הַחֲרֵ֜שׁ (haḥaresh) – Root: חרש (ḥarash); Form: Imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Be silent”; Notes: Command form.
- שִֽׂים־יָדְךָ֤ (sim-yadekha) – Root: שים (sim) + יד (yad); Form: Imperative masculine singular + noun; Translation: “Put your hand”; Notes: Idiomatic for staying quiet.
- עַל־פִּ֨יךָ֙ (ʿal-pikha) – Root: פה (peh); Form: Preposition + noun with suffix; Translation: “on your mouth”; Notes: Completes the command.
- וְלֵ֣ךְ (ve-lekh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Imperative masculine singular; Translation: “And go”; Notes: Continuation of command.
- עִמָּ֔נוּ (immanu) – Root: עם (ʿim); Form: Preposition with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “with us”; Notes: Specifies company.
- וֶֽהְיֵה־לָ֖נוּ (ve-heyeh-lanu) – Root: היה (haya); Form: Imperative masculine singular + preposition; Translation: “And be to us”; Notes: Further command.
- לְאָ֣ב (le-av) – Root: אב (ʾav); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a father”; Notes: Denotes a spiritual guide.
- וּלְכֹהֵ֑ן (u-le-kohen) – Root: כהן (kohen); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “and a priest”; Notes: Spiritual leadership.
- הֲטֹ֣וב (ha-tov) – Root: טוב (tov); Form: Interrogative + adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “Is it better”; Notes: Question introduces choice.
- הֱיֹותְךָ֣ (heyotekha) – Root: היה (haya); Form: Infinitive construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your being”; Notes: Functions as a noun.
- כֹהֵ֗ן (kohen) – Root: כהן (kohen); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a priest”; Notes: Repeated role.
- לְבֵית֙ (le-veit) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “to the house of”; Notes: Specifies location.
- אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֔ד (ish eḥad) – Root: איש (ʾish) + אחד (ʾeḥad); Form: Noun + adjective; Translation: “one man”; Notes: Limits scope.
- אֹ֚ו (o) – Root: או (ʾo); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “or”; Notes: Introduces alternative.
- הֱיֹותְךָ֣ (heyotekha) – Root: היה (haya); Form: Infinitive construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your being”; Notes: Second instance.
- כֹהֵ֔ן (kohen) – Root: כהן (kohen); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a priest”; Notes: Reiterated role.
- לְשֵׁ֥בֶט (le-shevet) – Root: שבט (shevet); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “to a tribe”; Notes: Expands influence.
- וּלְמִשְׁפָּחָ֖ה (u-le-mishpaḥah) – Root: משפחה (mishpaḥah); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “and a family”; Notes: Specifies social unit.
- בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (be-Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “in Yisraʾel”; Notes: Specifies national affiliation.