לָ֙נוּ֙

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 לָ֙נוּ֙

   la-NU

   to us
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 וִהְיִ֤יתֶם לָ֙נוּ֙

   vi-he-YI-tem la-NU

   then you will be to us
3. clause🔊 וְאִם־אֲנִ֤י אֽוּכַל־לוֹ֙ וְהִכִּיתִ֔יו וִהְיִ֤יתֶם לָ֙נוּ֙ לַעֲבָדִ֔ים וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֖ם אֹתָֽנוּ׃

   ve-im-a-NI u-KHAL-LO ve-hik-KI-ti-v vi-he-YI-tem la-NU la-a-va-DIM va-a-vad-TEM o-TA-nu

   but if I prevail over him and strike him then you will be to us as servants and you shall serve us
4. sentence🔊 אִם־יוּכַ֞ל לְהִלָּחֵ֤ם אִתִּי֙ וְהִכָּ֔נִי וְהָיִ֥ינוּ לָכֶ֖ם לַעֲבָדִ֑ים וְאִם־אֲנִ֤י אֽוּכַל־לוֹ֙ וְהִכִּיתִ֔יו וִהְיִ֤יתֶם לָ֙נוּ֙ לַעֲבָדִ֔ים וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֖ם אֹתָֽנוּ׃

   im-yu-KHAL le-hil-la-KHEM i-TI ve-hik-KA-ni ve-ha-YI-nu la-KHEM la-a-va-DIM ve-im-a-NI u-KHAL-LO ve-hik-KI-ti-v vi-he-YI-tem la-NU la-a-va-DIM va-a-vad-TEM o-TA-nu

   if he is able to fight with me and strike me then we will be to you as servants but if I prevail over him and strike him then you will be to us as servants and you shall serve us

Exegesis

The concluding vihyîtem lanû laʿăvadîm vaʿăvaḏtêm ôtânû {וִהְיִיתֶם לָנוּ לַעֲבָדִים וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֹתָנוּ | wi-hyî-tem lā-nû la-ʿă-vā-dîm va-ʿă-ḇaḏ-tem ô-tā-nû} ‘and you will be our servants and serve us’ completes the parallel challenge. The symmetrical use of vav-consecutive perfects emphasizes the decisive, outcome-based contest.