Gen. 24:50 [Samaritan Pentateuch]
ויען לבן ובתואל ויאמרו מיהוה יצא הדבר לא נוכל דבר אליך רע וטוב
Gen. 24:50 [Masoretic Text]
וַיַּ֨עַן לָבָ֤ן וּבְתוּאֵל֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מֵיְהוָ֖ה יָצָ֣א הַדָּבָ֑ר לֹ֥א נוּכַ֛ל דַּבֵּ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יךָ רַ֥ע אֹו־טֹֽוב׃
Then Lavan and Betuʾel answered and said, “The matter has come from YHWH; we cannot speak to you bad or good.
Morphology
- וַיַּ֨עַן (vayyaʿan) – Root: ענה (ʿ-n-h); Form: Verb, Qal, Wayyiqtol, 3ms; Translation: “Then he answered”; Notes: Sequential narrative form indicating a reply.
- לָבָ֤ן (Lavan) – Root: לבן (l-b-n); Form: Proper noun, ms; Translation: “Lavan”; Notes: Name of a character, brother of Rebekah.
- וּבְתוּאֵל֙ (u-vetuel) – Root: בתואל (b-t-ʾ-l); Form: Proper noun, ms; Translation: “Bethuel”; Notes: Rebekah’s father.
- וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ (vayyomeru) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Verb, Qal, Wayyiqtol, 3mp; Translation: “and they said”; Notes: Indicates a verbal response by multiple speakers.
- מֵיְהוָ֖ה (meyehovah) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “from the LORD”; Notes: Acknowledges divine origin of the matter.
- יָצָ֣א (yatsa) – Root: יצא (y-ts-ʾ); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3ms; Translation: “has come”; Notes: Refers to something originating or proceeding.
- הַדָּבָ֑ר (hadavar) – Root: דבר (d-v-r); Form: Noun, ms with definite article; Translation: “the matter”; Notes: Refers to the proposal regarding Rebekah.
- לֹ֥א (lo) – Root: N/A; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the verb that follows.
- נוּכַ֛ל (nukhal) – Root: יכל (y-k-l); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 1cp; Translation: “we cannot”; Notes: Expresses inability.
- דַּבֵּ֥ר (dabber) – Root: דבר (d-v-r); Form: Verb, Piel, Infinitive Construct; Translation: “to speak”; Notes: Infinitive indicates verbal action.
- אֵלֶ֖יךָ (elekha) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + 2ms suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Refers to the servant as the recipient of their statement.
- רַ֥ע (raʿ) – Root: רע (r-ʿ); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “bad”; Notes: Denotes something harmful or negative.
- אֹו (o) – Root: N/A; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “or”; Notes: Connects alternatives.
- טֹֽוב (tov) – Root: טוב (ṭ-w-v); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “good”; Notes: Denotes something beneficial or positive.