וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֣ף אֱלֹהִים֮ כִּֽי־הֹולֵ֣ךְ הוּא֒ וַיִּתְיַצֵּ֞ב מַלְאַ֧ךְ יְהוָ֛ה בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ לְשָׂטָ֣ן לֹ֑ו וְהוּא֙ רֹכֵ֣ב עַל־אֲתֹנֹ֔ו וּשְׁנֵ֥י נְעָרָ֖יו עִמֹּֽו׃
And the anger of God was kindled because he was going, and the angel of YHWH stood in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
Morphology
- וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֣ף (vayichar-af) – Root: חרה (charah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And the anger was kindled”; Notes: Refers to God’s anger.
- אֱלֹהִים֮ (Elohim) – Root: אלה (eloh); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “God”; Notes: Refers to the divine being.
- כִּֽי־הֹולֵ֣ךְ (ki-holekh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “because he was going”; Notes: Indicates the reason for God’s anger.
- הוּא֒ (hu) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “he”; Notes: Refers to Bilʿam.
- וַיִּתְיַצֵּ֞ב (vayyityatzev) – Root: יצב (yatsav); Form: Hithpael imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and he stood”; Notes: Describes the angel’s action.
- מַלְאַ֧ךְ (malʾakh) – Root: מלאך (malakh); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “angel”; Notes: Refers to the messenger of YHWH.
- יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the divine name.
- בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ (baderekh) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “in the way”; Notes: Specifies the location.
- לְשָׂטָ֣ן (lesatan) – Root: שטן (satan); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “as an adversary”; Notes: Indicates the angel’s role.
- לֹ֑ו (lo) – Root: לו (lo); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “against him”; Notes: Refers to Bilʿam.
- וְהוּא֙ (vehu) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “and he”; Notes: Refers to Bilʿam.
- רֹכֵ֣ב (rokhev) – Root: רכב (rakhav); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “was riding”; Notes: Indicates the action of traveling.
- עַל־אֲתֹנֹ֔ו (al-atono) – Root: אתן (aton); Form: Preposition with noun, feminine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “on his donkey”; Notes: Describes the mode of transport.
- וּשְׁנֵ֥י (ushnei) – Root: שנים (shenayim); Form: Noun, masculine dual construct; Translation: “and two”; Notes: Refers to the number of servants.
- נְעָרָ֖יו (ne’arav) – Root: נער (naʿar); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his servants”; Notes: Refers to Bilʿam’s attendants.
- עִמֹּֽו׃ (immo) – Root: עם (ʿim); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “with him”; Notes: Indicates their presence alongside Bilʿam.