עַל־דְּבַ֞ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־קִדְּמ֤וּ אֶתְכֶם֙ בַּלֶּ֣חֶם וּבַמַּ֔יִם בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ בְּצֵאתְכֶ֣ם מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וַאֲשֶׁר֩ שָׂכַ֨ר עָלֶ֜יךָ אֶת־בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־בְּעֹ֗ור מִפְּתֹ֛ור אֲרַ֥ם נַהֲרַ֖יִם לְקַֽלְלֶֽךָּ׃
Because they did not meet you with bread and water on the way when you came out of Mitsrayim, and because he hired against you Bilʿam son of Beʾor from Petor of Aram Naharayim to curse you.
Morphology
- עַל־דְּבַ֞ר (ʿal-devar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Preposition with noun; Translation: “Because of”; Notes: Introduces a reason.
- אֲשֶׁ֨ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces a subordinate clause.
- לֹא־ (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the verb.
- קִדְּמ֤וּ (qidemu) – Root: קדם (qadam); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they met”; Notes: Indicates an action of offering.
- אֶתְכֶם֙ (etkhem) – Root: אתם (atem); Form: Pronoun, 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- בַּלֶּ֣חֶם (ba-leḥem) – Root: לחם (leḥem); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “with bread”; Notes: Indicates provision.
- וּבַמַּ֔יִם (u-va-mayim) – Root: מים (mayim); Form: Noun, masculine plural with preposition; Translation: “and with water”; Notes: Another element of sustenance.
- בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ (ba-derekh) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “on the way”; Notes: Indicates location.
- בְּצֵאתְכֶ֣ם (be-tsetkhem) – Root: יצא (yatsaʾ); Form: Qal infinitive construct with suffix; Translation: “when you came out”; Notes: Expresses time reference.
- מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם (mi-Mitsrayim) – Root: מצרים (Mitsrayim); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “from Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to Egypt.
- וַאֲשֶׁר֩ (va-ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “and because”; Notes: Introduces a second reason.
- שָׂכַ֨ר (sakhar) – Root: שכר (sakar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he hired”; Notes: Refers to employment.
- עָלֶ֜יךָ (ʿalekha) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition with pronoun; Translation: “against you”; Notes: Expresses hostility.
- אֶת־בִּלְעָ֣ם (et-Bilʿam) – Root: בלעם (Bilʿam); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Bilʿam”; Notes: Refers to the prophet Balaam.
- בֶּן־בְּעֹ֗ור (ben-Beʾor) – Root: בער (baʿar); Form: Noun construct; Translation: “son of Beʾor”; Notes: Identifies lineage.
- מִפְּתֹ֛ור (mi-Petor) – Root: פתור (Petor); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “from Petor”; Notes: A location in Mesopotamia.
- אֲרַ֥ם נַהֲרַ֖יִם (Aram Naharayim) – Root: ארם נהרים (Aram Naharayim); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Aram Naharayim”; Notes: Refers to Mesopotamia.
- לְקַֽלְלֶֽךָּ׃ (le-qallelkha) – Root: קלל (qalal); Form: Piel infinitive construct with suffix; Translation: “to curse you”; Notes: Expresses intended action.