וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה וְאָבִ֨יהָ֙ יָרֹ֤ק יָרַק֙ בְּפָנֶ֔יהָ הֲלֹ֥א תִכָּלֵ֖ם שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים תִּסָּגֵ֞ר שִׁבְעַ֤ת יָמִים֙ מִח֣וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְאַחַ֖ר תֵּאָסֵֽף׃
And YHWH said to Moshe, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be shamed for seven days? Let her be shut outside the camp for seven days, and afterward she may be gathered back.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal imperfect, 3rd person singular masculine, with conversive *vav*; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces YHWH’s speech to Moshe.
- יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the divine name of the LORD.
- אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה (el-Moshe) – Root: אל (ʾ-l) + משה (m-sh-h); Form: Preposition + Proper noun; Translation: “To Moshe”; Notes: Directs the communication to Moses.
- וְאָבִ֨יהָ֙ (ve-ʾaviha) – Root: אב (ʾ-v); Form: Conjunction + noun, singular masculine construct with 3rd person singular feminine suffix; Translation: “And her father”; Notes: Refers to Miriam’s father in a conditional analogy.
- יָרֹ֤ק יָרַק֙ (yaroq yarak) – Root: ירק (y-r-q); Form: Qal perfect, 3rd person singular masculine (repeated for emphasis); Translation: “Had spit, spat”; Notes: Emphasizes a hypothetical disgrace.
- בְּפָנֶ֔יהָ (be-faneha) – Root: פנה (p-n-h); Form: Preposition with feminine plural construct; Translation: “In her face”; Notes: Indicates a personal affront.
- הֲלֹ֥א (halo) – Root: Particle; Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “Would not”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question.
- תִכָּלֵ֖ם (tikalem) – Root: כלם (k-l-m); Form: Niphal imperfect, 3rd person singular feminine; Translation: “Be shamed”; Notes: Describes the consequence of disgrace.
- שִׁבְעַ֣ת (shivʿat) – Root: שבע (sh-b-ʿ); Form: Cardinal number, feminine construct; Translation: “Seven”; Notes: Indicates the duration of exclusion.
- יָמִ֑ים (yamim) – Root: יום (y-w-m); Form: Noun, masculine plural absolute; Translation: “Days”; Notes: Specifies the period of her shame.
- תִּסָּגֵ֞ר (tissager) – Root: סגר (s-g-r); Form: Niphal imperfect, 3rd person singular feminine; Translation: “Be shut”; Notes: Indicates exclusion from the camp.
- מִח֣וּץ (miḥuts) – Root: חוץ (ḥ-w-ts); Form: Preposition; Translation: “Outside”; Notes: Refers to the area outside the camp.
- לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה (la-maḥaneh) – Root: מחנה (m-ḥ-n-h); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with definite article; Translation: “The camp”; Notes: Refers to the encampment of Yisra’el.
- וְאַחַ֖ר (ve-aḥar) – Root: אחר (ʾ-ḥ-r); Form: Conjunction + adverb; Translation: “And afterward”; Notes: Indicates the conclusion of the seven days.
- תֵּאָסֵֽף (teʾasef) – Root: אסף (ʾ-s-f); Form: Niphal imperfect, 3rd person singular feminine; Translation: “Be gathered”; Notes: Refers to her reintegration into the camp.