Tag Archives: Exodus 4:2

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר אֵלָ֛יו יְהוָ֖ה מַה־זֶּה בְיָדֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מַטֶּֽה׃ (Exodus 4:2) And YHWH said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A staff.” 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.… Learn Hebrew