וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלֵ֡ינוּ זְֽקֵינֵינוּ֩ וְכָל־יֹשְׁבֵ֨י אַרְצֵ֜נוּ לֵאמֹ֗ר קְח֨וּ בְיֶדְכֶ֤ם צֵידָה֙ לַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּלְכ֖וּ לִקְרָאתָ֑ם וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֲלֵיהֶם֙ עַבְדֵיכֶ֣ם אֲנַ֔חְנוּ וְעַתָּ֖ה כִּרְתוּ־לָ֥נוּ בְרִֽית׃
And our elders and all the inhabitants of our land said to us, saying: ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them: “We are your servants, and now, make a covenant with us.”’
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ (vayyoʾmeru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Narrative form indicating sequential action.
- אֵלֵ֡ינוּ (ʾeleinu) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “to us”; Notes: Indicates the direction of speech.
- זְֽקֵינֵינוּ֩ (zeqeineinu) – Root: זקן (zaqen); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our elders”; Notes: Leaders or senior members of the community.
- וְכָל־יֹשְׁבֵ֨י (ve-khol-yoshvei) – Root: ישב (yashav); Form: Conjunction + noun (masculine plural construct); Translation: “and all the inhabitants of”; Notes: Refers to all residents.
- אַרְצֵ֜נוּ (artzeinu) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our land”; Notes: Possessive form indicating belonging.
- לֵאמֹ֗ר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- קְח֨וּ (qeḥu) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Take”; Notes: Command form.
- בְיֶדְכֶ֤ם (beyedkhem) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Preposition with noun (feminine singular) and 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “in your hand”; Notes: Indicates possession.
- צֵידָה֙ (tzeidah) – Root: ציד (tsayid); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “provisions”; Notes: Supplies for a journey.
- לַדֶּ֔רֶךְ (la-derekh) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “for the journey”; Notes: Direction or path.
- וּלְכ֖וּ (u-lekhu) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and go”; Notes: Command form.
- לִקְרָאתָ֑ם (likratam) – Root: קרת (qarat); Form: Preposition with infinitive construct + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to meet them”; Notes: Directional action.
- וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֤ם (vaʾamartem) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and you shall say”; Notes: Sequential action.
- אֲלֵיהֶם֙ (aleihem) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Directional phrase.
- עַבְדֵיכֶ֣ם (ʿavdeikhem) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your servants”; Notes: Expresses submission.
- אֲנַ֔חְנוּ (anaḥnu) – Root: אנחנו (anaḥnu); Form: Pronoun, 1st person plural; Translation: “we”; Notes: Subject pronoun.
- וְעַתָּ֖ה (ve-ʿattah) – Root: עתה (ʿattah); Form: Adverb; Translation: “and now”; Notes: Temporal marker.
- כִּרְתוּ־לָ֥נוּ (kirṭu-lanu) – Root: כרת (karat); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural + preposition with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “make with us”; Notes: Covenant-making term.
- בְרִֽית׃ (berit) – Root: ברית (berit); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “covenant”; Notes: Binding agreement.