וַיִּשְׁמְע֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֵּ֣ה בָנ֣וּ בְנֵֽי־רְאוּבֵ֣ן וּבְנֵי־גָ֡ד וַחֲצִי֩ שֵׁ֨בֶט הַֽמְנַשֶּׁ֜ה אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֗חַ אֶל־מוּל֙ אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֶל־גְּלִילֹות֙ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן אֶל־עֵ֖בֶר בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And the sons of Yisraʾel heard, saying, “Behold, the sons of Reʾuven, and the sons of Gad, and half the tribe of Menashshe have built the altar before the land of Kenaʿan, in the regions of the Yarden, on the side belonging to the sons of Yisraʾel.”
Morphology
- וַיִּשְׁמְע֥וּ (vayyishmeʿu) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they heard”; Notes: Refers to the sons of Yisraʾel hearing the news.
- בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (bene-Yisraʾel) – Root: בן, ישראל (ben, Yisraʾel); Form: Construct noun, masculine plural + proper noun; Translation: “the sons of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Yisraʾel.
- לֵאמֹ֑ר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the direct speech.
- הִנֵּ֣ה (hinneh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Expresses emphasis and surprise.
- בָנ֣וּ (banu) – Root: בנה (banah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have built”; Notes: Completed action referring to the construction of the altar.
- בְנֵֽי־רְאוּבֵ֣ן (bene-Reʾuven) – Root: בן, ראובן (ben, Reʾuven); Form: Construct noun, masculine plural + proper noun; Translation: “the sons of Reʾuven”; Notes: Refers to the tribal group.
- וּבְנֵי־גָ֡ד (u-vene-Gad) – Root: בן, גד (ben, Gad); Form: Construct noun, masculine plural + proper noun; Translation: “and the sons of Gad”; Notes: Another tribal group.
- וַחֲצִי֩ (va-ḥatsi) – Root: חצי (ḥatsi); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “and half of”; Notes: Specifies division.
- שֵׁ֨בֶט (shevet) – Root: שבט (shevet); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “tribe”; Notes: Refers to lineage.
- הַֽמְנַשֶּׁ֜ה (ha-Menasheh) – Root: מנשה (Menasheh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Menasheh”; Notes: Name of a tribe.
- אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֗חַ (et-ha-mizbeaḥ) – Root: מזבח (mizbeaḥ); Form: Definite noun, masculine singular; Translation: “the altar”; Notes: Refers to the structure they built.
- אֶל־מוּל֙ (el-mul) – Root: מול (mul); Form: Preposition; Translation: “before”; Notes: Indicates spatial relation.
- אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן (ʾerets Kenaʿan) – Root: ארץ, כנען (ʾerets, Kenaʿan); Form: Construct noun, feminine singular + proper noun; Translation: “the land of Kenaʿan”; Notes: Specifies location.
- אֶל־גְּלִילֹות֙ (el-gelilot) – Root: גליל (galil); Form: Noun, feminine plural with preposition אֶל; Translation: “in the regions of”; Notes: Describes the surrounding territory.
- הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן (ha-Yarden) – Root: ירדן (Yarden); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “the Yarden”; Notes: Refers to the Jordan River.
- אֶל־עֵ֖בֶר (el-ʿever) – Root: עבר (ʿever); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition אֶל; Translation: “on the side of”; Notes: Indicates placement.
- בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל (bene-Yisraʾel) – Root: בן, ישראל (ben, Yisraʾel); Form: Construct noun, masculine plural + proper noun; Translation: “the sons of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Indicates the side belonging to Yisraʾel.