ואם לא תאבה האשה ללכת אחריך ונקית משבעתי זאת רק את בני לא תשב שמה׃
Gen 24:8 [Samaritan]
ואם לא תאבה האשה ללכת אחריך ונקית משבעתי זאת רק את בני לא תשיב שמה׃
Gen 24:8 [Masoretic]
וְאִם־לֹא תֹאבֶה הָֽאִשָּׁה לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֶיךָ וְנִקִּיתָ מִשְּׁבֻעָתִי זֹאת רַק אֶת־בְּנִי לֹא תָשֵׁב שָֽׁמָּה׃
Gen 24:8 [Targum Onkelos]
וְאִם לָא תֵיבֵי אִתְּתָא לְמֵיתֵי בַתְרָךְ וּתְהֵי זַכָּא מִמּוֹמָתִי דָּא לְחוֹד יַת בְּרִי לָא תָתֵיב לְתַמָּן׃
Gen 24:8 [Peshitta]
ܘܐܢ ܠܐ ܬܬܛܦܝܣ ܐܢܬܬܐ ܠܡܐܬܐ ܥܡܟ܂ ܗܘܼܝܬ ܙܟܝ ܡܢ ܡܘܡ̈ܬܝ ܗܕܐ܂ ܒܠܚܘܕ ܠܒܪܝ ܠܐ ܬܗܦܟ ܠܬܡܢ܂
וְאִם־לֹ֨א תֹאבֶ֤ה הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ לָלֶ֣כֶת אַחֲרֶ֔יךָ וְנִקִּ֕יתָ מִשְּׁבֻעָתִ֖י זֹ֑את רַ֣ק אֶת־בְּנִ֔י לֹ֥א תָשֵׁ֖ב שָֽׁמָּה׃
But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath of mine; only do not take my son back there.”
Morphology
- וְאִם־לֹ֨א (ve’im-lo) – Root: אם (ʾ-m) and לא (l-ʾ); Form: Conjunction with negation; Translation: “But if not”; Notes: Introduces a conditional clause.
- תֹאבֶ֤ה (toveh) – Root: אבה (ʾ-v-h); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3fs; Translation: “is willing”; Notes: Describes the potential decision of the woman.
- הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ (ha’ishah) – Root: אשה (ʾ-sh-h); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the woman”; Notes: Refers to the prospective wife for Yitsḥaq.
- לָלֶ֣כֶת (lalekhet) – Root: הלך (h-l-k); Form: Infinitive Construct with preposition; Translation: “to follow”; Notes: Indicates the action she might not perform.
- אַחֲרֶ֔יךָ (aḥarekha) – Root: אחר (ʾ-ḥ-r); Form: Preposition with 2ms suffix; Translation: “after you”; Notes: Refers to following the servant to Avraham’s land.
- וְנִקִּ֕יתָ (venikkita) – Root: נקי (n-q-y); Form: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, 2ms with conjunction; Translation: “then you will be released”; Notes: Indicates the servant’s exemption from the oath.
- מִשְּׁבֻעָתִ֖י (mishvu’ati) – Root: שבע (sh-b-ʿ); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with 1cs suffix; Translation: “from my oath”; Notes: Refers to the covenantal promise.
- זֹ֑את (zot) – Root: זה (z-h); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers back to the stated condition.
- רַ֣ק (raq) – Root: רק (r-q); Form: Adverb; Translation: “only”; Notes: Introduces a limiting condition.
- אֶת־בְּנִ֔י (et-beni) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with direct object marker and 1cs suffix; Translation: “my son”; Notes: Refers to Yitsḥaq.
- לֹ֥א (lo) – Root: לא (l-ʾ); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “do not”; Notes: Prohibits the specific action.
- תָשֵׁ֖ב (tashev) – Root: שוב (sh-w-b); Form: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, 2ms; Translation: “take back”; Notes: Prohibits returning Yitsḥaq to Avraham’s homeland.
- שָֽׁמָּה (shamah) – Root: שם (sh-m); Form: Adverb; Translation: “there”; Notes: Refers to Avraham’s place of origin.
