וַֽיְהִי֙ בְּאַשְׁמֹ֣רֶת הַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיַּשְׁקֵ֤ף יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מַחֲנֵ֣ה מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ וְעָנָ֑ן וַיָּ֕הָם אֵ֖ת מַחֲנֵ֥ה מִצְרָֽיִם׃
And it came to pass in the morning watch that YHWH looked down upon the camp of Mitsrayim through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He confused the camp of Mitsrayim.
Morphology
- וַֽיְהִי֙ (vayhi) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Marks the beginning of an event or time.
- בְּאַשְׁמֹ֣רֶת (beʾashmoret) – Root: שׁמר (sh-m-r); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “In the watch”; Notes: Refers to a division of the night.
- הַבֹּ֔קֶר (habboker) – Root: בקר (b-q-r); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “Of the morning”; Notes: Indicates the time of day.
- וַיַּשְׁקֵ֤ף (vayyashqef) – Root: שׁקף (sh-q-p); Form: Verb, Hiphil, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And He looked down”; Notes: Describes YHWH’s observation.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the covenant name of God.
- אֶל־מַחֲנֵ֣ה (el-maḥaneh) – Root: חנה (ḥ-n-h); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “To the camp of”; Notes: Indicates the target of YHWH’s gaze.
- מִצְרַ֔יִם (Mitsrayim) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to the Egyptians.
- בְּעַמּ֥וּד (beʿammud) – Root: עמד (ʿ-m-d); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “Through the pillar of”; Notes: Indicates the medium of YHWH’s observation.
- אֵ֖שׁ (esh) – Root: אש (ʾ-sh); Form: Noun, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “Fire”; Notes: Symbolizes YHWH’s presence.
- וְעָנָ֑ן (veʿanan) – Root: ענן (ʿ-n-n); Form: Conjunction + Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “And cloud”; Notes: Represents the manifestation of divine presence.
- וַיָּ֕הָם (vayyaham) – Root: הום (h-w-m); Form: Verb, Hiphil, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And He confused”; Notes: Describes the disruption caused by YHWH.
- אֵ֖ת מַחֲנֵ֥ה (et-maḥaneh) – Root: חנה (ḥ-n-h); Form: Accusative particle + Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “The camp of”; Notes: Identifies the object of confusion.
- מִצְרָֽיִם (Mitsrayim) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to the Egyptians.