וְעַתָּה֩ לְכָה־נָּ֨א אָֽרָה־לִּ֜י אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֗ה כִּֽי־עָצ֥וּם הוּא֙ מִמֶּ֔נִּי אוּלַ֤י אוּכַל֙ נַכֶּה־בֹּ֔ו וַאֲגָרְשֶׁ֖נּוּ מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־תְּבָרֵךְ֙ מְבֹרָ֔ךְ וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּאֹ֖ר יוּאָֽר׃
And now, please come and curse this people for me, for they are stronger than I. Perhaps I will be able to strike them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
Morphology
- וְעַתָּה֩ (ve’atah) – Root: עת (et); Form: Conjunction with adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Introduces an urgent request.
- לְכָה־נָּ֨א (lecha-na) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine singular with particle; Translation: “please come”; Notes: A polite imperative.
- אָֽרָה־לִּ֜י (arah-li) – Root: ארר (arar); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “curse for me”; Notes: Refers to seeking a curse upon Yisra’el.
- אֶת־הָעָ֣ם (et-ha’am) – Root: עם (am); Form: Direct object marker with noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Refers to Yisra’el.
- הַזֶּ֗ה (hazeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies the people.
- כִּֽי־עָצ֥וּם (ki-atzum) – Root: עצם (atzam); Form: Conjunction with adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “for they are strong”; Notes: Describes Yisra’el’s strength.
- הוּא֙ (hu) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “he”; Notes: Refers to the people.
- מִמֶּ֔נִּי (mimm meni) – Root: מן (min); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “than I”; Notes: Indicates comparison.
- אוּלַ֤י (ulai) – Root: אולי (ulai); Form: Adverb; Translation: “perhaps”; Notes: Introduces a possibility.
- אוּכַל֙ (ukhal) – Root: יכל (yakhol); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will be able”; Notes: Expresses potential ability.
- נַכֶּה־בֹּ֔ו (nakkeh-bo) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil imperfect 1st person plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “we strike him”; Notes: Refers to attacking the people.
- וַאֲגָרְשֶׁ֖נּוּ (va’agarshenu) – Root: גרש (garash); Form: Piel imperfect 1st person singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and I will drive him out”; Notes: Refers to expelling Yisra’el.
- מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ (min-ha’aretz) – Root: ארץ (eretz); Form: Preposition with noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “from the land”; Notes: Refers to Mo’av’s territory.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces a reason.
- יָדַ֗עְתִּי (yadati) – Root: ידע (yada); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I know”; Notes: Indicates certainty.
- אֵ֤ת (et) – Root: את (et); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: —; Notes: Marks the object of the verb.
- אֲשֶׁר־תְּבָרֵךְ֙ (asher-tevarekh) – Root: ברך (barakh); Form: Piel imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “whom you bless”; Notes: Refers to the effectiveness of Bilʿam’s blessings.
- מְבֹרָ֔ךְ (mevorakh) – Root: ברך (barakh); Form: Pual participle masculine singular; Translation: “is blessed”; Notes: Indicates a state of being blessed.
- וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּאֹ֖ר (va’asher ta’or) – Root: ארר (arar); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “whom you curse”; Notes: Refers to the effectiveness of Bilʿam’s curses.
- יוּאָֽר׃ (yu’ar) – Root: ארר (arar); Form: Hophal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “is cursed”; Notes: Indicates a state of being cursed.