וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר הָעָ֗ם בֵּֽאלֹהִים֮ וּבְמֹשֶׁה֒ לָמָ֤ה הֶֽעֱלִיתֻ֨נוּ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לָמ֖וּת בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין לֶ֨חֶם֙ וְאֵ֣ין מַ֔יִם וְנַפְשֵׁ֣נוּ קָ֔צָה בַּלֶּ֖חֶם הַקְּלֹקֵֽל׃
And the people spoke against God and against Moshe, “Why have you brought us up out of Mitsrayim to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.”
Morphology
- וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר (vayeddaber) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he spoke”; Notes: Refers to the people complaining.
- הָעָ֗ם (ha’am) – Root: עם (am); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- בֵּֽאלֹהִים֮ (be’Elohim) – Root: אלה (eloah); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine plural; Translation: “against Elohim”; Notes: Indicates the target of the complaint.
- וּבְמֹשֶׁה֒ (u’veMoshe) – Root: משׁה (Moshe); Form: Conjunction with preposition and proper noun; Translation: “and against Moshe”; Notes: Refers to their leader, Moshe.
- לָמָ֤ה (lamah) – Root: למה (lamah); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “Why”; Notes: Introduces their complaint.
- הֶֽעֱלִיתֻ֨נוּ֙ (he’elitenu) – Root: עלה (alah); Form: Hiphil perfect 2nd person masculine plural with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “have you brought us up”; Notes: Refers to the exodus from Mitsrayim.
- מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם (miMitsrayim) – Root: מצר (mitsar); Form: Preposition with proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “from Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to Egypt.
- לָמ֖וּת (lamut) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to die”; Notes: Indicates the perceived result of their journey.
- בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר (bamidbar) – Root: מדבר (midbar); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “in the wilderness”; Notes: Refers to their current location.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces the reason for their complaint.
- אֵ֥ין (ein) – Root: אין (ein); Form: Particle of negation; Translation: “there is no”; Notes: Emphasizes the lack of provision.
- לֶ֨חֶם֙ (lechem) – Root: לחם (lechem); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “bread”; Notes: Refers to basic sustenance.
- וְאֵ֣ין (ve’ein) – Root: אין (ein); Form: Conjunction with particle of negation; Translation: “neither is there”; Notes: Indicates another deficiency.
- מַ֔יִם (mayim) – Root: מים (mayim); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “water”; Notes: Refers to a vital necessity.
- וְנַפְשֵׁ֣נוּ (venafshenu) – Root: נפש (nefesh); Form: Conjunction with noun, feminine singular construct and 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “and our soul”; Notes: Refers to their inner being or life force.
- קָ֔צָה (qatztzah) – Root: קוץ (qutz); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “loathes”; Notes: Expresses strong dislike or disdain.
- בַּלֶּ֖חֶם (ballechem) – Root: לחם (lechem); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “for the bread”; Notes: Refers to the manna provided by YHWH.
- הַקְּלֹקֵֽל׃ (haqloqel) – Root: קלל (qalal); Form: Adjective, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “worthless”; Notes: Describes the manna as unsatisfactory or insignificant.