נַעְבְּרָה־נָּ֣א בְאַרְצֶ֗ךָ לֹ֤א נַעֲבֹר֙ בְּשָׂדֶ֣ה וּבְכֶ֔רֶם וְלֹ֥א נִשְׁתֶּ֖ה מֵ֣י בְאֵ֑ר דֶּ֧רֶךְ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ נֵלֵ֗ךְ לֹ֤א נִטֶּה֙ יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֔אול עַ֥ד אֲשֶֽׁר־נַעֲבֹ֖ר גְּבוּלֶֽךָ׃
Let us pass through your land. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink water from wells. We will go along the King’s Highway; we will not turn aside to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”
Morphology
- נַעְבְּרָה־נָּ֣א (na’bera-na) – Root: עבר (avar); Form: Qal cohortative 1st person plural with particle; Translation: “Let us pass”; Notes: A polite request to travel through the land.
- בְאַרְצֶ֗ךָ (be’artzekha) – Root: ארץ (eretz); Form: Preposition with noun, feminine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “through your land”; Notes: Specifies the intended route.
- לֹ֤א נַעֲבֹר֙ (lo na’avor) – Root: עבר (avar); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person plural; Translation: “We will not pass”; Notes: A pledge to avoid certain areas.
- בְּשָׂדֶ֣ה (besadeh) – Root: שדה (sadeh); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine singular; Translation: “through fields”; Notes: Refers to agricultural land.
- וּבְכֶ֔רֶם (u’vekerem) – Root: כרם (kerem); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine singular; Translation: “or vineyards”; Notes: Refers to cultivated grapevines.
- וְלֹ֥א נִשְׁתֶּ֖ה (velo nishteh) – Root: שתה (shatah); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person plural; Translation: “nor will we drink”; Notes: A promise not to take water.
- מֵ֣י בְאֵ֑ר (mei be’er) – Root: מים (mayim) and באר (be’er); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with noun, feminine singular; Translation: “water from wells”; Notes: Refers to sourced water.
- דֶּ֧רֶךְ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ (derekh hamelech) – Root: דרך (derekh) and מלך (melech); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the King’s Highway”; Notes: Refers to the main trade route.
- נֵלֵ֗ךְ (nelek) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we will go”; Notes: A commitment to stay on the main road.
- לֹ֤א נִטֶּה֙ (lo nitteh) – Root: נטה (natah); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we will not turn”; Notes: A promise of direct travel.
- יָמִ֣ין (yamin) – Root: ימין (yamin); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “to the right”; Notes: Refers to avoiding deviation.
- וּשְׂמֹ֔אול (usmo’l) – Root: שמאל (smo’l); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “or to the left”; Notes: Indicates remaining on course.
- עַ֥ד אֲשֶֽׁר־נַעֲבֹ֖ר (ad asher-na’avor) – Root: עבר (avar); Form: Preposition with relative pronoun and Qal imperfect 1st person plural; Translation: “until we have passed”; Notes: Specifies the endpoint of the journey.
- גְּבוּלֶֽךָ׃ (gevulekha) – Root: גבול (gevul); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your territory”; Notes: Refers to the land boundaries of Edom.