וַיֹּ֤אמֶר

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר

   va-yo-MER

   and he said
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙

   va-yo-MER el-a-va-DAV

   and he said to his servants
3. clause🔊 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙ שִׂ֔ימוּ וַיָּשִׂ֖ימוּ עַל־הָעִֽיר׃

   va-yo-MER el-a-va-DAV SI-mu va-ya-SI-mu al-ha-IR

   and he said to his servants set or place {you all} and they set or placed against the city
4. sentence🔊 וַיְהִ֗י כִּשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וְה֥וּא שֹׁתֶ֛ה ה֥וּא וְהַמְּלָכִ֖ים בַּסֻּכּ֑וֹת וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙ שִׂ֔ימוּ וַיָּשִׂ֖ימוּ עַל־הָעִֽיר׃

   va-ye-HI kish-MO-a et-ha-da-VAR ha-ZE ve-HU sho-TE HU ve-ham-me-la-KHIM bas-su-KOT va-yo-MER el-a-va-DAV SI-mu va-ya-SI-mu al-ha-IR

   and it happened when hearing {direct object} the word or message this and he was drinking he and the kings in the booths or shelters and he said to his servants set or place {you all} and they set or placed against the city

Exegesis

The dialogue marker vayomer {וַיֹּ֤אמֶר | way·yō·mer} ‘and he said’ introduces the imperative simu {שִׂימוּ | sǝ̄·mū} ‘set/prepare’, and the following vayasimu {וַיָּשִׂ֖ימוּ | way·yā·sǝ̄·mū} ‘and they set’ completes the command against alha’ir {עַל־הָעִֽיר | ʿal·hā·ʿîr} ‘the city’. The sequence of vav-consecutive forms ensures narrative cohesion, the infinitive construct clause foregrounds the moment of hearing, and the pronominal emphasis highlights the principal actor.

Root and etymology

’-m-r🔊 א־מ־רaleph–mem–resh

“to say, speak”

• 🔊 מְדַבֵּרmedabberspeakerExodus 4:10