וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֗ה לְ֠חֹבָב בֶּן־רְעוּאֵ֣ל הַמִּדְיָנִי֮ חֹתֵ֣ן מֹשֶׁה֒ נֹסְעִ֣ים אֲנַ֗חְנוּ אֶל־הַמָּקֹום֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אֹתֹ֖ו אֶתֵּ֣ן לָכֶ֑ם לְכָ֤ה אִתָּ֨נוּ֙ וְהֵטַ֣בְנוּ לָ֔ךְ כִּֽי־יְהוָ֥ה דִּבֶּר־טֹ֖וב עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And Moshe said to Ḥovav son of Reʿuʾel the Midianite, Moshe’s father-in-law, “We are journeying to the place of which YHWH said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will do good for you, for YHWH has spoken good concerning Yisra’el.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with waw consecutive; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Refers to Moshe speaking.
- מֹשֶׁ֗ה (Moshe) – Root: משה (m-sh-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Moshe”; Notes: The speaker in this verse.
- לְ֠חֹבָב (le-Ḥovav) – Root: חבב (ḥ-v-v); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “To Ḥovav”; Notes: Refers to Moshe’s brother-in-law or father-in-law, depending on interpretation.
- בֶּן־רְעוּאֵ֣ל (ben-Reʿuʾel) – Root: בן (b-n) and רע (r-ʿ); Form: Construct noun with proper noun; Translation: “Son of Reʿuʾel”; Notes: Indicates his lineage.
- הַמִּדְיָנִי֮ (ha-Midiani) – Root: מדין (m-d-y-n); Form: Adjective, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “The Midianite”; Notes: Describes his tribal affiliation.
- חֹתֵ֣ן (ḥoten) – Root: חתן (ḥ-t-n); Form: Masculine singular noun; Translation: “Father-in-law”; Notes: Describes his relationship to Moshe.
- נֹסְעִ֣ים (nosʿim) – Root: נסע (n-s-ʿ); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “We are journeying”; Notes: Indicates the ongoing movement.
- אֲנַ֗חְנוּ (ʾanakhnu) – Root: אנ (ʾ-n); Form: Independent pronoun, 1st person plural; Translation: “We”; Notes: Emphasizes the subject.
- אֶל־הַמָּקֹום֙ (ʾel-ha-maqom) – Root: קום (q-w-m); Form: Preposition with masculine singular noun with definite article; Translation: “To the place”; Notes: Refers to the promised land.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾ-sh-r); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “Which”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause.
- אָמַ֣ר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He said”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s statement.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (y-h-w-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The personal name of God.
- אֹתֹ֖ו (oto) – Root: את (ʾ-t); Form: 3rd person masculine singular pronoun; Translation: “It”; Notes: Refers to the place YHWH promised.
- אֶתֵּ֣ן (etten) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will give”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s promise.
- לָכֶ֑ם (lakhem) – Root: לכם (l-k-m); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural pronoun; Translation: “To you”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- לְכָ֤ה (lekha) – Root: הלך (h-l-k); Form: Imperative masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “Come”; Notes: An invitation to join the journey.
- אִתָּ֨נוּ (ittanu) – Root: את (ʾ-t); Form: Preposition with 1st person plural pronoun suffix; Translation: “With us”; Notes: Refers to inclusion in the group.
- וְהֵטַ֣בְנוּ (ve-heṭavnu) – Root: טוב (ṭ-w-b); Form: Hiphil perfect 1st person plural with waw consecutive; Translation: “And we will do good”; Notes: Indicates the promise of kindness or prosperity.
- לָ֔ךְ (lakh) – Root: ל (l); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular pronoun; Translation: “For you”; Notes: Refers to Ḥovav.
- כִּֽי־יְהוָ֥ה (ki-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (y-h-w-h); Form: Conjunction with proper noun; Translation: “For YHWH”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the promise.
- דִּבֶּר־טֹ֖וב (dibber-tov) – Root: דבר (d-b-r) and טוב (ṭ-w-b); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular with adjective; Translation: “Has spoken good”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s favorable promises.
- עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ʿal-Yisra’el) – Root: שר (s-r) and אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition with proper noun; Translation: “Concerning Yisra’el”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Israel, highlighting the object of YHWH’s promises.