וַיֹּ֧אמֶר אֵלָ֛יו יְהוָ֖ה מַה־זֶּה בְיָדֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מַטֶּֽה׃
And YHWH said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A staff.”
Explanation of Feature
This verse from Exodus 4:2 presents a clear example of a Hebrew interrogative clause introduced by the compound expression מַה־זֶּה (“What is this…?”). The interrogative מַה (“what”) is joined with the demonstrative זֶּה (“this”), forming a common question phrase that appears throughout narrative Hebrew.
This construction is followed by a prepositional phrase בְיָדֶךָ (“in your hand”), which completes the interrogative clause.
Examples from Exodus 4:2
| Phrase | Form | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| מַה־זֶּה | Interrogative pronoun + demonstrative | “What is this?” – a formulaic way to ask for identification |
| בְיָדֶךָ | Prepositional phrase (בְ + noun + suffix) | “in your hand” – completes the object of the question |
| מַטֶּה | Noun, masculine singular | “A staff” – Moses’ simple reply using the object in question |
Related Grammatical Insight
– The compound interrogative מַה־זֶּה is structurally similar to English “What is this?” but lacks an explicit verb. In Hebrew, such verbless clauses are common and understood based on context.
– Demonstratives like זֶּה (“this”) often combine with interrogatives or nouns to clarify focus or reference.
– The prepositional suffix יָדֶךָ shows possessive second person masculine singular, literally: “your hand.”
This short exchange models Hebrew’s tendency toward brevity and directness in dialogue, especially in narrative contexts involving divine encounters.
