שְׁלַח־לְךָ֣ אֲנָשִׁ֗ים וְיָתֻ֨רוּ֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֖ן לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָד֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶחָ֜ד לְמַטֵּ֤ה אֲבֹתָיו֙ תִּשְׁלָ֔חוּ כֹּ֖ל נָשִׂ֥יא בָהֶֽם׃
“Send men for yourself, and they will spy out the land of Kenaʿan, which I am giving to the children of Yisraʾel. One man from each of their fathers’ tribes you shall send, every one a leader among them.”
Morphology
- שְׁלַח־לְךָ֣ (shelakh-lekha) – Root: שלח (sh-l-ḥ); Form: Qal imperative, 2nd person masculine singular + preposition; Translation: “Send for yourself”; Notes: Command given directly to Moshe, emphasizing personal initiative.
- אֲנָשִׁ֗ים (anashim) – Root: אנש (ʾ-n-sh); Form: Masculine plural noun; Translation: “Men”; Notes: Refers to individuals chosen for the mission.
- וְיָתֻ֨רוּ֙ (veyaturu) – Root: תור (t-w-r); Form: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural with conjunctive *vav*; Translation: “And they will spy out”; Notes: Describes the purpose of the mission.
- אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ (et-eretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ts); Form: Feminine singular noun with direct object marker; Translation: “The land”; Notes: Refers specifically to the land of Kenaʿan.
- כְּנַ֔עַן (Kenaʿan) – Root: כנע (k-n-ʿ); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Kenaʿan”; Notes: Name of the land being spied upon.
- אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֖ן (ani noten) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Qal participle, masculine singular; Translation: “I am giving”; Notes: Indicates the ongoing divine act of granting the land.
- לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (livnei Yisraʾel) – Root: בן (b-n) + ישׂראל (y-s-r-ʾ-l); Form: Preposition + plural construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “To the children of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Specifies the recipients of the divine gift.
- אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָד֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶחָ֜ד (ish eḥad ish eḥad) – Root: איש (ʾ-y-sh) + אחד (ʾ-ḥ-d); Form: Masculine singular noun + cardinal number; Translation: “One man, one man”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes one representative per tribe.
- לְמַטֵּ֤ה אֲבֹתָיו֙ (lematteh avotav) – Root: מטה (m-t-h) + אב (ʾ-v); Form: Preposition + construct noun; Translation: “From the tribe of his fathers”; Notes: Indicates tribal representation.
- תִּשְׁלָ֔חוּ (tishlachu) – Root: שלח (sh-l-ḥ); Form: Qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “You shall send”; Notes: Command to ensure participation of all tribes.
- כֹּ֖ל נָשִׂ֥יא בָהֶֽם (kol nasi vahem) – Root: נשא (n-s-ʾ); Form: Adjective + masculine singular noun; Translation: “Every leader among them”; Notes: Specifies that the men chosen are tribal leaders.