וַיַּ֣עַן בִּלְעָ֗ם וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־עַבְדֵ֣י בָלָ֔ק אִם־יִתֶּן־לִ֥י בָלָ֛ק מְלֹ֥א בֵיתֹ֖ו כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב לֹ֣א אוּכַ֗ל לַעֲבֹר֙ אֶת־פִּי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֔י לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות קְטַנָּ֖ה אֹ֥ו גְדֹולָֽה׃
And Bilʿam answered and said to the servants of Balaq, “If Balaq were to give me the fullness of his house in silver and gold, I could not transgress the word of YHWH my God, to do anything small or great.
Morphology
- וַיַּ֣עַן (vayaʿan) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he answered”; Notes: Refers to Bilʿam’s response.
- בִּלְעָ֗ם (Bilʿam) – Root: בלע (balaʿ); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Bilʿam”; Notes: The subject of the verb.
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ (vayomer) – Root: אמר (amar); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces Bilʿam’s speech.
- אֶל־עַבְדֵ֣י (el-ʿavdei) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “to the servants of”; Notes: Indicates the recipients of Bilʿam’s words.
- בָלָ֔ק (Balak) – Root: בלק (Balak); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Balak”; Notes: Refers to the king of Mo’av.
- אִם־יִתֶּן־לִ֥י (im-yitten-li) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “If he were to give me”; Notes: Introduces a hypothetical situation.
- בָלָ֛ק (Balak) – Root: בלק (Balak); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Balak”; Notes: The subject of the hypothetical action.
- מְלֹ֥א (melo) – Root: מלא (male); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “the fullness of”; Notes: Refers to the entire content.
- בֵיתֹ֖ו (beito) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his house”; Notes: Indicates ownership.
- כֶּ֣סֶף (kesef) – Root: כסף (kesef); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “silver”; Notes: Refers to a valuable material.
- וְזָהָ֑ב (vezahav) – Root: זהב (zahav); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “and gold”; Notes: Another valuable material.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following action.
- אוּכַ֗ל (ukhal) – Root: יכל (yakhal); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I could”; Notes: Expresses ability.
- לַעֲבֹר֙ (laʿavor) – Root: עבר (ʿavar); Form: Qal infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to transgress”; Notes: Refers to disobedience.
- אֶת־פִּי֙ (et-pi) – Root: פה (peh); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “the word of”; Notes: Refers to God’s command.
- יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the divine name.
- אֱלֹהָ֔י (Elohai) – Root: אלה (eloh); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my God”; Notes: Indicates a personal relationship.
- לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות (laʿasot) – Root: עשה (asah); Form: Qal infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to do”; Notes: Refers to performing an action.
- קְטַנָּ֖ה (ketannah) – Root: קטן (katan); Form: Adjective, feminine singular; Translation: “small”; Notes: Indicates the magnitude of the action.
- אֹ֥ו (o) – Root: או (o); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “or”; Notes: Connects alternatives.
- גְדֹולָֽה׃ (gedolah) – Root: גדל (gadal); Form: Adjective, feminine singular; Translation: “great”; Notes: Contrasts with “small.”