וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־רָאשֵׁ֣י הַמַּטֹּ֔ות לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָֽה׃
And Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Yisra’el, saying, “This is the word that YHWH has commanded.
Morphology
- וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר (vayedabber) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with waw consecutive; Translation: “And he spoke”; Notes: Emphasizes deliberate and formal speech.
- מֹשֶׁה֙ (Mosheh) – Root: משׁה (Mosheh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Mosheh”; Notes: Refers to the leader and prophet of Israel.
- אֶל־רָאשֵׁ֣י (el-rashey) – Root: ראשׁ (rosh); Form: Preposition אֶל + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “To the heads of”; Notes: Indicates those in leadership positions.
- הַמַּטֹּ֔ות (hammaṭṭot) – Root: מטה (maṭṭeh); Form: Noun masculine plural definite; Translation: “The tribes”; Notes: Refers to the divisions of Israel.
- לִבְנֵ֥י (livney) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “Of the sons of”; Notes: Indicates lineage.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (Yisra’el) – Root: שׂרא (sarah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisra’el”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Israel.
- לֵאמֹ֑ר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “Saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- זֶ֣ה (zeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “This”; Notes: Points to the specific content of the command.
- הַדָּבָ֔ר (haddavar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Noun masculine singular definite; Translation: “The word”; Notes: Refers to the command or instruction.
- אֲשֶׁ֖ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “That”; Notes: Introduces a subordinate clause.
- צִוָּ֥ה (tsivvah) – Root: צוה (tsavah); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Has commanded”; Notes: Denotes giving of an authoritative instruction.
- יְהוָֽה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The Tetragrammaton, the divine name of God.