וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ֩ כָל־הַשָּׂרִ֨ים וְכָל־הָעָ֜ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֣אוּ בַבְּרִ֗ית לְ֠שַׁלַּח אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־עַבְדֹּ֞ו וְאִ֤ישׁ אֶת־שִׁפְחָתֹו֙ חָפְשִׁ֔ים לְבִלְתִּ֥י עֲבָד־בָּ֖ם עֹ֑וד וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֖וּ וַיְשַׁלֵּֽחוּ׃
And all the officials and all the people who had entered into the covenant heard, to release each man his male servant and each man his female servant, free, so that they would not enslave them anymore. And they obeyed and released them.
Morphology
- וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ֩ (va-yishməʿū) – Root: שמע; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they heard”; Notes: Refers to active listening or receiving the command.
- כָל־הַשָּׂרִ֨ים (kol-ha-sārīm) – Root: שרר; Form: Noun masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “all the officials”; Notes: Royal or administrative leaders.
- וְכָל־הָעָ֜ם (ve-kol-ha-ʿām) – Root: עם; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular collective; Translation: “and all the people”; Notes: Refers to the general population.
- אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֣אוּ (ʾasher-bāʾū) – Root: בוא; Form: Relative pronoun + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “who had entered”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause about the participants.
- בַבְּרִ֗ית (ba-bərīt) – Root: ברית; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “into the covenant”; Notes: Refers to the formal agreement to release slaves.
- לְשַׁלַּח (le-shallaḥ) – Root: שלח; Form: Piel infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to release”; Notes: Purpose of the covenant.
- אִ֣ישׁ (ʾīsh) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Subject of the action—each individual.
- אֶת־עַבְדֹּ֞ו (et-ʿavdō) – Root: עבד; Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine singular with 3ms suffix; Translation: “his male servant”; Notes: Object of the verb “to release.”
- וְאִ֤ישׁ (ve-ʾīsh) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and a man”; Notes: Repetition for parallel structure.
- אֶת־שִׁפְחָתֹו֙ (et-shifḥātō) – Root: שׁפח; Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine singular with 3ms suffix; Translation: “his female servant”; Notes: Companion release obligation to male servant.
- חָפְשִׁ֔ים (ḥofshīm) – Root: חפשׁ; Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “free”; Notes: Legal status being granted.
- לְבִלְתִּ֥י (le-viltī) – Root: בל״י; Form: Preposition + negative infinitive form; Translation: “so that not”; Notes: Introduces negative purpose clause.
- עֲבָד־בָּ֖ם (ʿăvād-bām) – Root: עבד; Form: Qal infinitive construct + 3mp suffix; Translation: “to enslave them”; Notes: Continues the prohibition.
- עֹ֑וד (ʿōd) – Root: – ; Form: Adverb; Translation: “anymore”; Notes: Emphasizes permanent emancipation.
- וַיִּשְׁמְע֖וּ (va-yishməʿū) – Root: שמע; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they obeyed”; Notes: Hearing with response—obedience.
- וַיְשַׁלֵּֽחוּ (va-yəshalleḥū) – Root: שלח; Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they released”; Notes: Intensive action following the command.