Introduction to Genesis 45:20
In this verse, Yosef instructs his brothers not to grieve over their belongings as they are invited to dwell in Egypt with full provision. The verse includes a negative jussive with emotional nuance, using אַל + imperfect verb, along with the rare verb חוס (“to pity, spare, regret”), which often carries emotional or psychological implications. This lesson examines the syntax of emotional negation and the construction of possessive prepositional phrases in Hebrew imperative contexts.
וְעֵ֣ינְכֶ֔ם אַל־תָּחֹ֖ס עַל־כְּלֵיכֶ֑ם כִּי־ט֛וּב כָּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לָכֶ֥ם הֽוּא׃
Analysis of Key Words and Structures
- וְעֵ֣ינְכֶ֔ם (veʿeinekhem) – “And your eyes.”
– Conjunction וְ + noun עֵינַיִם (“eyes”) with 2mp suffix ־כֶם.
– A poetic metonymy for “your focus, concern, or attention.” - אַל־תָּחֹ֖ס (ʾal-taḥos) – “Do not regret / let not your eye pity.”
– אַל is the negative particle used with jussives and imperfects for prohibitions.
– תָּחֹ֖ס is Qal imperfect/jussive 2ms from חוס (“to spare, pity, have concern”).
– The verb carries an emotional shade, expressing empathy, grief, or reluctance. - עַל־כְּלֵיכֶ֑ם (ʿal-kheleikhem) – “Over your belongings.”
– Preposition עַל governs the object of emotion.
– כֵּלִים (“vessels, belongings”) with 2mp suffix ־כֶם = “your things.”
– The whole phrase implies “do not be distressed about your possessions.” - כִּי־ט֛וּב כָּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם (ki-tuv kol-erets Mitzrayim) – “For the best of all the land of Egypt…”
– כִּי introduces the explanatory reason.
– טוּב is a noun (“goodness,” “best”) functioning as the subject of the final clause.
– כָּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם = “all the land of Egypt.” Construct chain expressing “the best of all the land.” - לָכֶ֥ם הֽוּא (lakhem hu) – “It is for you.”
– Prepositional phrase לָכֶ֥ם indicates possession or benefit: “to/for you.”
– The independent pronoun הוּא functions as a copular pronoun, linking טוּב as subject to the benefit it represents.
Negative Emotional Imperatives and Possessive Syntax
The command אַל־תָּחֹ֖ס עַל־כְּלֵיכֶ֑ם is a negative jussive construction, using אַל with a 2ms imperfect verb to express prohibition.
Unlike direct imperatives which command action, jussives are often used for softer, more formal prohibitions, especially in narrative or royal contexts.
The verb חוס adds emotional nuance:
– Not just “do not touch” or “do not take,”
– But “do not grieve over” or “do not be emotionally attached to.”
This reflects psychological transition: the brothers are to leave their belongings behind and embrace a new life in Mitsrayim.
The prepositional phrase לָכֶ֥ם הוּא offers assurance: “the best of Egypt belongs to you.” This echoes a possessive copular clause in Hebrew:
– Subject: טוּב (“the best”)
– Predicate: לָכֶ֥ם הוּא (“it is for you”)
This syntax subtly shifts emotional attachment from the past (their belongings) to the future (Egypt’s abundance).
Why Negative Jussives with Emotional Verbs Guide Inner Disposition
Genesis 45:20 is not just a command—it’s pastoral speech. Through the grammatical structure of the jussive, the Hebrew offers a compassionate transition: “Do not mourn your possessions, for something better awaits you.”
The verb חוס, usually emotional, underscores that leaving is not just physical but psychological. The use of אל־ + jussive fits this delicate rebuke—it tells the brothers not to cling, without harshness.
The final clause, כִּי־ט֛וּב כָּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לָכֶ֥ם הֽוּא, grammatically centers gift and assurance. The possessive syntax places the best of the land in the brothers’ hands before they even arrive.
Thus, Hebrew grammar once again merges structure with emotion. The negated jussive + possessive clause becomes a doorway through which theology and comfort walk together.
