OET interlinear NUM 14:28

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

אֱמֹ֣ר אֲלֵ⁠הֶ֗ם חַי־אָ֨נִי֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה אִם־לֹ֕א כַּ⁠אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּרְתֶּ֖ם בְּ⁠אָזְנָ֑⁠י כֵּ֖ן אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה לָ⁠כֶֽם

say to,them he/it_lived I declares_of YHWH if not just=as say in,ears_of,my yes/correct/thus/so do to,you(pl)

If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate this so that there is not a quotation within a quotation. Alternate translation: [Say to them that as I live—the declaration of Yahweh—if not just as they spoke in my ears, thus I will do to them]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

אֱמֹ֣ר

say

The word Say is singular here because Yahweh is speaking only to Moses. So use the singular form in your translation if your language marks that distinction.

Note 3 topic: writing-oathformula

חַי־אָ֨נִי֙

he/it_lived I

Following the custom of this culture, Yahweh is swearing an oath and guaranteeing it by something that he holds sacred: his life. For another example of this kind of oath, see verse 21. Alternate translation: [I swear by my life]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

חַי־אָ֨נִי֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה אִם־לֹ֕א

he/it_lived I declares_of YHWH if not

If it would be more natural in your language, you may want to put the declaration of Yahweh before the oath rather than interrupting the oath. Alternate translation: [This is the declaration of Yahweh: As I live, if not]

Note 5 topic: writing-oathformula

אִם־לֹ֕א כַּ⁠אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּרְתֶּ֖ם בְּ⁠אָזְנָ֑⁠י כֵּ֖ן אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה לָ⁠כֶֽם

if not just=as say in,ears_of,my yes/correct/thus/so do to,you(pl)

Following the custom of this culture, Yahweh is swearing an oath by stating the first part of a condition (if not just as you spoke in my ears, thus I will do to you) but not the second part (“then”). If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explicitly state the second part of this condition. Alternate translation: [if I do not do to you exactly what you spoke in my ears, may I strike myself dead]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

בְּ⁠אָזְנָ֑⁠י

in,ears_of,my

Yahweh is using the term in my ears to mean hearing. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. See how you translated the similar phrase in 11:1. Alternate translation: [while I could hear]