הֶאָנֹכִ֣י הָרִ֗יתִי אֵ֚ת כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אִם־אָנֹכִ֖י יְלִדְתִּ֑יהוּ כִּֽי־תֹאמַ֨ר אֵלַ֜י שָׂאֵ֣הוּ בְחֵיקֶ֗ךָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשָּׂ֤א הָאֹמֵן֙ אֶת־הַיֹּנֵ֔ק עַ֚ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתָּ לַאֲבֹתָֽיו׃
Have I conceived all this people? Have I given birth to them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries the nursing child, to the land which You swore to their fathers?’
Morphology
- הֶאָנֹכִ֣י (he-anokhi) – Root: אנך (ʾ-n-k); Form: Interrogative prefix with first-person singular pronoun; Translation: “Have I”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question.
- הָרִ֗יתִי (hariti) – Root: הרה (h-r-h); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “Conceived”; Notes: Moshe questions his responsibility for the people as though he had conceived them.
- אֵ֚ת (et) – Root: את (ʾ-t); Form: Definite direct object marker; Translation: “All”; Notes: Marks the direct object “this people.”
- כָּל־הָעָ֣ם (kol-ha-am) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Masculine singular construct with definite article; Translation: “All the people”; Notes: Refers to the entire congregation of Yisra’el.
- הַזֶּ֔ה (ha-zeh) – Root: זה (z-h); Form: Masculine singular demonstrative pronoun; Translation: “This”; Notes: Specifies the current group Moshe addresses.
- אִם־אָנֹכִ֖י (im-anokhi) – Root: אנך (ʾ-n-k); Form: Interrogative particle with first-person singular pronoun; Translation: “Have I”; Notes: Continues the rhetorical questioning.
- יְלִדְתִּ֑יהוּ (yelidtihu) – Root: ילד (y-l-d); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “Given birth to him”; Notes: Refers metaphorically to Moshe’s role.
- כִּֽי־תֹאמַ֨ר (ki-tomar) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “That You should say”; Notes: Introduces YHWH’s command.
- אֵלַ֜י (elai) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “To me”; Notes: Indicates the direction of speech.
- שָׂאֵ֣הוּ (sa’ehu) – Root: נשא (n-s-ʾ); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “Carry him”; Notes: Commands Moshe to bear responsibility.
- בְחֵיקֶ֗ךָ (be-ḥeqekha) – Root: חיק (ḥ-y-q); Form: Preposition with masculine singular noun and 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “In your bosom”; Notes: Refers to intimate care and responsibility.
- כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר (ka-asher) – Root: אשר (ʾ-sh-r); Form: Comparative conjunction; Translation: “As”; Notes: Introduces the metaphor of a nurse carrying a child.
- יִשָּׂ֤א (yissa) – Root: נשא (n-s-ʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Carries”; Notes: Describes the action of the nurse.
- הָאֹמֵן֙ (ha-omen) – Root: אמן (ʾ-m-n); Form: Hiphil participle masculine singular; Translation: “The nurse”; Notes: Indicates a caregiver or supporter.
- אֶת־הַיֹּנֵ֔ק (et-ha-yoneq) – Root: ינק (y-n-q); Form: Definite direct object marker with masculine singular participle; Translation: “The nursing child”; Notes: Specifies the helpless infant.
- עַ֚ל (ʿal) – Root: על (ʿ-l); Form: Preposition; Translation: “To”; Notes: Indicates the destination.
- הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה (ha-adamah) – Root: אדמ (ʾ-d-m); Form: Feminine singular noun with definite article; Translation: “The land”; Notes: Refers to the Promised Land.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר (asher) – Root: אשר (ʾ-sh-r); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “Which”; Notes: Introduces the clause describing the land.
- נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתָּ (nishba’ta) – Root: שׁבע (sh-b-ʿ); Form: Nifal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “You swore”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s oath.
- לַאֲבֹתָֽיו (la-avotav) – Root: אב (ʾ-v); Form: Preposition with masculine plural noun and 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “To their fathers”; Notes: Refers to the patriarchs of Yisra’el.
This verse captures Moshe’s frustration and metaphorical imagery, as he compares his role to that of a caregiver bearing a child to the Promised Land.