בְּהַנְחֵ֤ל עֶלְיֹון֙ גֹּויִ֔ם בְּהַפְרִידֹ֖ו בְּנֵ֣י אָדָ֑ם יַצֵּב֙ גְּבֻלֹ֣ת עַמִּ֔ים לְמִסְפַּ֖ר בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
When Elyon gave the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Yisraʾel.
Morphology
- בְּהַנְחֵ֤ל (behanḥel) – Root: נחל (n-ḥ-l); Form: Hifil infinitive construct with prefix בְּ; Translation: “When [He] gave [as] an inheritance”; Notes: Indicates the act of apportioning lands.
- עֶלְיֹון֙ (ʿElyon) – Root: עליון (ʿ-l-y-n); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Elyon” (the Most High); Notes: A title for YHWH emphasizing His supreme authority.
- גֹּויִ֔ם (goyim) – Root: גוי (g-w-y); Form: Masculine plural noun; Translation: “nations”; Notes: Refers to the various peoples of the earth.
- בְּהַפְרִידֹ֖ו (behafrido) – Root: פרד (p-r-d); Form: Hifil infinitive construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “when He separated”; Notes: Describes the division of humanity.
- בְּנֵ֣י אָדָ֑ם (b’nei adam) – Root: בן (b-n) + אדם (ʾ-d-m); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “the sons of Adam”; Notes: Refers to all humanity.
- יַצֵּב֙ (yatzzev) – Root: יצב (y-tz-v); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He set” or “He established”; Notes: Indicates establishing fixed boundaries.
- גְּבֻלֹ֣ת (gevulot) – Root: גבול (g-b-l); Form: Feminine plural noun; Translation: “boundaries”; Notes: Refers to territorial borders.
- עַמִּ֔ים (ʿammim) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Masculine plural noun; Translation: “peoples”; Notes: General term for groups or nations.
- לְמִסְפַּ֖ר (le-mispar) – Root: ספר (s-p-r); Form: Preposition לְ + masculine singular noun; Translation: “according to the number”; Notes: Indicates correspondence to a numerical value.
- בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל (b’nei Yisra’el) – Root: בן (b-n) + ישראל (Yisra’el); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “the sons of Yisra’el”; Notes: Refers to the descendants of Yisra’el (Jacob).