וְהַיָּמִ֞ים אֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֣כְנוּ מִקָּדֵ֣שׁ בַּרְנֵ֗עַ עַ֤ד אֲשֶׁר־עָבַ֨רְנוּ֙ אֶת־נַ֣חַל זֶ֔רֶד שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וּשְׁמֹנֶ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה עַד־תֹּ֨ם כָּל־הַדֹּ֜ור אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ מִקֶּ֣רֶב הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר נִשְׁבַּ֥ע יְהוָ֖ה לָהֶֽם׃
And the days that we traveled from Qadesh-Barnea until we crossed the valley of Zered were thirty-eight years, until the entire generation—the men of war—perished from the camp, as YHWH had sworn to them.
Morphology
- וְהַיָּמִ֞ים (ve-hayyamim) – Root: יום (ywm); Form: Conjunction + noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “And the days”; Notes: Refers to the span of time mentioned.
- אֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֣כְנוּ (ʾasher-halakhnu) – Root: הלך (hlk); Form: Relative pronoun + Qal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “that we traveled”; Notes: Refers to the journey from Qadesh-Barnea.
- מִקָּדֵ֣שׁ (mi-Qadesh) – Root: קדש (qds); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “from Qadesh”; Notes: Indicates the starting point.
- בַּרְנֵ֗עַ (Barnea) – Root: ברנע (brnʿ); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Barnea”; Notes: A significant location in the narrative.
- עַ֤ד אֲשֶׁר־עָבַ֨רְנוּ֙ (ʿad ʾasher-ʿavarnu) – Root: עבר (ʿvr); Form: Preposition + relative pronoun + Qal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “until we crossed”; Notes: Describes the endpoint of the journey.
- אֶת־נַ֣חַל (ʾet-naḥal) – Root: נחל (nḥl); Form: Direct object marker + noun, masculine singular; Translation: “the Wadi”; Notes: Refers to a specific watercourse.
- זֶ֔רֶד (Zered) – Root: זרד (zrd); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Zered”; Notes: Identifies the wadi crossed.
- שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים (sheloshim) – Root: שלש (šlš); Form: Numeral, masculine plural; Translation: “thirty”; Notes: Part of the time period.
- וּשְׁמֹנֶ֖ה (u-shemoneh) – Root: שמונה (šmn); Form: Conjunction + numeral, masculine singular; Translation: “and eight”; Notes: Completes the numeral for the years.
- שָׁנָ֑ה (shanah) – Root: שנה (šnh); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “years”; Notes: Indicates the duration of the journey.
- עַד־תֹּ֨ם (ʿad-tom) – Root: תם ™; Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “until the completion”; Notes: Marks the end of the generation.
- כָּל־הַדֹּ֜ור (kol-ha-dor) – Root: דור (dwr); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with definite article; Translation: “the entire generation”; Notes: Refers to the generation of men of war.
- אַנְשֵׁ֤י (ʾanshei) – Root: איש (ʾyš); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “the men of”; Notes: Specifies the individuals.
- הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ (ha-milḥamah) – Root: לחם (lḥm); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “war”; Notes: Describes their role as warriors.
- מִקֶּ֣רֶב (mi-qerev) – Root: קרב (qrb); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular; Translation: “from the midst of”; Notes: Indicates their presence in the camp.
- הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה (ha-maḥaneh) – Root: חנה (ḥnh); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the camp”; Notes: Refers to the Israelite encampment.
- כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר (kaʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾšr); Form: Comparative particle; Translation: “as”; Notes: Introduces the oath’s condition.
- נִשְׁבַּ֥ע (nishbaʿ) – Root: שבע (šbʿ); Form: Niphal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he had sworn”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s oath.
- יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of God.
- לָהֶֽם׃ (lahem) – Root: ל (l) + הם (hm); Form: Preposition + pronoun, 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the men of war.