הִנֵּ֤ה הָעָם֙ הַיֹּצֵ֣א מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם וַיְכַ֖ס אֶת־עֵ֣ין הָאָ֑רֶץ עַתָּ֗ה לְכָ֤ה קָֽבָה־לִּי֙ אֹתֹ֔ו אוּלַ֥י אוּכַ֛ל לְהִלָּ֥חֶם בֹּ֖ו וְגֵרַשְׁתִּֽיו׃
‘Behold, the people that came out of Mitsrayim have covered the face of the earth. Now, come curse them for me; perhaps I will be able to fight them and drive them out.’”
Morphology
- הִנֵּ֤ה (hinneh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Used to draw attention to what follows.
- הָעָם֙ (ha’am) – Root: עם (am); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Refers to Yisra’el.
- הַיֹּצֵ֣א (hayotze) – Root: יצא (yatza); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “that came out”; Notes: Refers to the Exodus from Mitsrayim.
- מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם (miMitsrayim) – Root: מצר (Mitsrayim); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “from Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to Egypt.
- וַיְכַ֖ס (vayekhas) – Root: כסס (khas); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and has covered”; Notes: Describes the vastness of the people.
- אֶת־עֵ֣ין (et-ein) – Root: עין (ayin); Form: Direct object marker with noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “the face of”; Notes: Refers to the surface of the land.
- הָאָ֑רֶץ (ha’aretz) – Root: ארץ (eretz); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the earth”; Notes: Indicates the land covered by the people.
- עַתָּ֗ה (atah) – Root: עת (et); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Now”; Notes: Marks a shift to an immediate request.
- לְכָ֤ה (lecha) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular with particle; Translation: “come”; Notes: Invites action.
- קָֽבָה־לִּי֙ (kabah-li) – Root: קבב (kabab); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “curse for me”; Notes: Requests a curse upon the people.
- אֹתֹ֔ו (oto) – Root: את (et); Form: Direct object marker with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to the people.
- אוּלַ֥י (ulai) – Root: אולי (ulai); Form: Adverb; Translation: “perhaps”; Notes: Introduces possibility.
- אוּכַ֛ל (ukhal) – Root: יכל (yakhol); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will be able”; Notes: Expresses potential ability.
- לְהִלָּ֥חֶם (lehilachem) – Root: לחם (lacham); Form: Niphal infinitive construct; Translation: “to fight”; Notes: Indicates engaging in battle.
- בֹּ֖ו (bo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “against him”; Notes: Refers to the people of Yisra’el.
- וְגֵרַשְׁתִּֽיו׃ (vegerashtiv) – Root: גרש (garash); Form: Piel perfect 1st person singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and drive them out”; Notes: Indicates intent to expel Yisra’el.