וַיֹּאמְר֧וּ אֲלֵיהֶ֛ם הַנְּשִׂיאִ֖ים יִֽחְי֑וּ וַ֠יִּֽהְיוּ חֹטְבֵ֨י עֵצִ֤ים וְשֹֽׁאֲבֵי־מַ֨יִם֙ לְכָל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבְּר֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם הַנְּשִׂיאִֽים׃
And the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became woodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, as the leaders had spoken to them.
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמְר֧וּ (vayyoʾmeru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Sequential narrative form indicating past action.
- אֲלֵיהֶ֛ם (aleihem) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Indicates direction of speech.
- הַנְּשִׂיאִ֖ים (han-nesiʾim) – Root: נשׂא (nasaʾ); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “the leaders”; Notes: Refers to the chiefs of Yisraʾel.
- יִֽחְי֑וּ (yiḥyu) – Root: חיה (ḥayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “Let them live”; Notes: Volitional form indicating permission or command.
- וַ֠יִּֽהְיוּ (vayyihyu) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they became”; Notes: Sequential past form.
- חֹטְבֵ֨י (ḥotvei) – Root: חטב (ḥatav); Form: Qal active participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “woodcutters”; Notes: Indicates their assigned role.
- עֵצִ֤ים (ʿetsim) – Root: עץ (ʿets); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “of wood”; Notes: Direct object of the participle.
- וְשֹֽׁאֲבֵי־ (ve-shoʾavei) – Root: שאב (shaʾav); Form: Qal active participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “and water carriers”; Notes: Parallel to the previous participle.
- מַ֨יִם֙ (mayim) – Root: מים (mayim); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “of water”; Notes: Direct object of the participle.
- לְכָל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה (le-khol-ha-ʿedah) – Root: עדה (ʿedah); Form: Preposition + noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “for all the congregation”; Notes: Indicates the group they serve.
- כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר (kaʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “as”; Notes: Introduces the manner or condition.
- דִּבְּר֥וּ (dibberu) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they had spoken”; Notes: Intensive form indicating authoritative speech.
- לָהֶ֖ם (lahem) – Root: הם (hem); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Indirect object.
- הַנְּשִׂיאִֽים׃ (han-nesiʾim) – Root: נשׂא (nasaʾ); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “the leaders”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis.