וַאֲנַ֗חְנוּ לֹ֥א נוּכַ֛ל לָתֵת־לָהֶ֥ם נָשִׁ֖ים מִבְּנֹותֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־נִשְׁבְּע֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אָר֕וּר נֹתֵ֥ן אִשָּׁ֖ה לְבִנְיָמִֽן׃ ס
But we cannot give them wives from our daughters.” For the sons of Yisraʾel have sworn, saying, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to Binyamin.”
Morphology
- וַאֲנַ֗חְנוּ (va-ʾanaḥnu) – Root: אנחנו (ʾanaḥnu); Form: Pronoun, 1st person plural; Translation: “But we”; Notes: Used for emphasis in the statement.
- לֹ֥א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Used for negation.
- נוּכַ֛ל (nukhal) – Root: יכל (yakhal); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person plural; Translation: “can”; Notes: Expresses ability or possibility.
- לָתֵת־ (latet) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to give”; Notes: Infinitive form indicating an action.
- לָהֶ֥ם (lahem) – Root: הם (hem); Form: Preposition with pronoun, 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Indicates the recipients of the action.
- נָשִׁ֖ים (nashim) – Root: אשה (ishah); Form: Noun, feminine plural; Translation: “wives”; Notes: Refers to women given in marriage.
- מִבְּנֹותֵ֑ינוּ (mi-bnotenu) – Root: בת (bat); Form: Noun, feminine plural construct with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “from our daughters”; Notes: Specifies the source of the women.
- כִּֽי־ (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces a reason.
- נִשְׁבְּע֤וּ (nishbeʿu) – Root: שׁבע (shavaʿ); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “have sworn”; Notes: A passive verb indicating a formal oath.
- בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (bene-Yisraʾel) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “the sons of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the Israelite people.
- לֵאמֹ֔ר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces a direct quote.
- אָר֕וּר (ʾarur) – Root: ארר (ʾarar); Form: Qal passive participle masculine singular; Translation: “Cursed”; Notes: A pronouncement of divine disfavor.
- נֹתֵ֥ן (noten) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal active participle masculine singular; Translation: “who gives”; Notes: Indicates an ongoing action.
- אִשָּׁ֖ה (ishah) – Root: אשה (ishah); Form: Noun, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “a wife”; Notes: Refers to a woman in marriage.
- לְבִנְיָמִֽן (le-Binyamin) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Preposition with proper noun; Translation: “to Binyamin”; Notes: Specifies the recipient.