מֵאַ֤יִן לִי֙ בָּשָׂ֔ר לָתֵ֖ת לְכָל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־יִבְכּ֤וּ עָלַי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר תְּנָה־לָּ֥נוּ בָשָׂ֖ר וְנֹאכֵֽלָה׃
From where shall I have meat to give to all this people? For they cry upon me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’
Morphology
- מֵאַ֤יִן (me’ayin) – Root: אין (ʾ-y-n); Form: Interrogative particle with preposition; Translation: “From where”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question of source or origin.
- לִי֙ (li) – Root: לי (l-y); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “To me”; Notes: Indicates personal possession or responsibility.
- בָּשָׂ֔ר (basar) – Root: בשר (b-s-r); Form: Masculine singular noun; Translation: “Meat”; Notes: Refers to flesh or food demanded by the people.
- לָתֵ֖ת (latet) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “To give”; Notes: Expresses the action of providing.
- לְכָל־הָעָ֣ם (le-kol-ha-am) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Preposition with masculine singular construct noun and definite article; Translation: “To all the people”; Notes: Refers to the collective group of Yisra’el.
- הַזֶּ֑ה (ha-zeh) – Root: זה (z-h); Form: Masculine singular demonstrative pronoun; Translation: “This”; Notes: Specifies the people currently addressed.
- כִּֽי־יִבְכּ֤וּ (ki-yivku) – Root: בכה (b-k-h); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “For they cry”; Notes: Describes the people’s complaint or lament.
- עָלַי֙ (ʿalai) – Root: על (ʿ-l); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “Upon me”; Notes: Indicates the target of the people’s complaints.
- לֵאמֹ֔ר (le’mor) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “Saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- תְּנָה־לָּ֥נוּ (tenah-lanu) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “Give to us”; Notes: The people’s direct demand for provision.
- בָשָׂ֖ר (basar) – Root: בשר (b-s-r); Form: Masculine singular noun; Translation: “Meat”; Notes: The object of their demand.
- וְנֹאכֵֽלָה (ve-nokhela) – Root: אכל (ʾ-k-l); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person plural cohortative; Translation: “And we may eat”; Notes: Expresses their intention or desire.
This verse highlights Moshe’s frustration and inability to meet the people’s demands for meat, underscoring the challenges of leadership and provision.