Feb 22 2006

Exodus 4:18-20

Published by Hardy at 6:48 am under Exodus, Grammar

וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ מֹשֶׁ֜ה וַיָּ֣שָׁב ׀ אֶל־יֶ֣תֶר חֹֽתְנ֗וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אֵ֣לְכָה נָּ֗א וְאָשׁ֙וּבָה֙ אֶל־אַחַ֣י אֲשֶׁר־בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וְאֶרְאֶ֖ה הַעוֹדָ֣ם חַיִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יִתְר֛וֹ לְמֹשֶׁ֖ה לֵ֥ךְ לְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ 19 וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֤ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ בְּמִדְיָ֔ן לֵ֖ךְ שֻׁ֣ב מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּי־מֵ֙תוּ֙ כָּל־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ 20 וַיִּקַּ֨ח מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֣וֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֗יו וַיַּרְכִּבֵם֙ עַֽל־הַחֲמֹ֔ר וַיָּ֖שָׁב אַ֣רְצָה מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיִּקַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־מַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדֽוֹ׃

Vocabulary

Verse 18

            יתר  name: “Jethro”

            חותן  noun (with 3ms suffix): “father-in-law” (BDB, 368)

            עוד  adverb: “still, yet”

            חי  adjective: “living, alive”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

  • The verbs אֵ֣לְכָה and אָשׁ֙וּבָה֙ and אֶרְאֶ֖ה are cohortatives.
  • The name of Moses’ father-in-law is typically spelled with a final holem-waw (Exodus 3:1; 4:18; 18:1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12); however the first occurrence in this verse the final vowel is not extant (possibly because of apocopation).

Vocabulary

Verse 19

            מדין  name (of place): “Midian”

            בקשׁ  verb (Piel participle mpl): “seek”

Verse 20

            רכב  verb (Hiphil imperfect 3ms with 3mpl suffix): “caused to mount”

            חמר  “donkey”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 19

  • The participle, הַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֖ים, is a substantive in attributive position functioning as an adjective: “all the men who were seeking.”

Verse 20

  • The phrase, אַ֣רְצָה מִצְרָ֑יִם, is a construct form that is definite, “the land of Egypt,” because the second noun is a proper noun (proper nouns have implied definiteness).
  • The phrase, מַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים, is a construct form that is definite, “the staff of God,” because the second noun is definite (the article is present).

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