וַיִּלֹּ֨נוּ֙ עַל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן כֹּ֖ל בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֲלֵהֶ֜ם כָּל־הָעֵדָ֗ה לוּ־מַ֨תְנוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם אֹ֛ו בַּמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַזֶּ֖ה לוּ־מָֽתְנוּ׃
And all the children of Yisra’el grumbled against Moshe and against Aharon, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Mitsrayim, or if only we had died in this wilderness.
Morphology
- וַיִּלֹּ֨נוּ֙ (vayyilonu) – Root: לון (l-w-n); Form: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural, consecutive; Translation: “And they grumbled”; Notes: Indicates murmuring or complaining.
- עַל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה (ʿal-Moshe) – Root: על (ʿ-l); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “Against Moshe”; Notes: Refers to the leader of Yisra’el.
- וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן (veʿal-Aharon) – Root: על (ʿ-l); Form: Conjunction + preposition + proper noun; Translation: “And against Aharon”; Notes: Refers to Moshe’s brother and the high priest.
- כֹּ֖ל בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (kol bnei Yisra’el) – Root: כל (k-l) + בן (b-n); Form: Construct noun phrase; Translation: “All the children of Yisra’el”; Notes: Refers to the entire community of Israelites.
- וַֽיֹּאמְר֨וּ (vayomeru) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural, consecutive; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Used for direct speech.
- אֲלֵהֶ֜ם (alehem) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “To them”; Notes: Refers to Moshe and Aharon.
- כָּל־הָעֵדָ֗ה (kol-haʿedah) – Root: עדה (ʿ-d-h); Form: Construct noun phrase with definite article; Translation: “The whole congregation”; Notes: Collective term for the Israelites.
- לוּ־מַ֨תְנוּ֙ (lu-matnu) – Root: מות (m-w-t); Form: Particle of wishing + Qal perfect, 1st person plural; Translation: “If only we had died”; Notes: Expresses regret or longing.
- בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם (beʾeretz Mitsrayim) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ts) + מצרים (m-ts-r-y-m); Form: Preposition + noun construct; Translation: “In the land of Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to Egypt, emphasizing the place of their prior enslavement.
- אֹ֛ו (ʾo) – Root: או (ʾ-w); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “Or”; Notes: Connects alternatives.
- בַּמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַזֶּ֖ה (bammidbar hazzeh) – Root: מדבר (m-d-b-r); Form: Preposition + noun with definite article; Translation: “In this wilderness”; Notes: Refers to their current location.
- לוּ־מָֽתְנוּ׃ (lu-matnu) – Root: מות (m-w-t); Form: Particle of wishing + Qal perfect, 1st person plural; Translation: “If only we had died”; Notes: Repeated phrase emphasizing their despair.