וַתַּ֖עַל שִׁכְבַ֣ת הַטָּ֑ל וְהִנֵּ֞ה עַל־פְּנֵ֤י הַמִּדְבָּר֙ דַּ֣ק מְחֻסְפָּ֔ס דַּ֥ק כַּכְּפֹ֖ר עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
And when the layer of dew had gone up, behold, upon the surface of the wilderness there was something fine and flaky, as fine as frost on the ground.
Morphology
- וַתַּ֖עַל (vattāʿal) – Root: עלה (ʿ-l-h); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3fs with vav consecutive; Translation: “And went up”; Notes: Describes the movement of the dew layer.
- שִׁכְבַ֣ת (shikhvat) – Root: שכב (sh-k-v); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “The layer of”; Notes: Refers to the thin covering.
- הַטָּ֑ל (hattal) – Root: טל (t-l); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “The dew”; Notes: Specifies the substance that rose.
- וְהִנֵּ֞ה (vehinnēh) – Root: הנה (h-n-h); Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Introduces an unexpected or significant sight.
- עַל־פְּנֵ֤י (ʿal-penei) – Root: פנה (p-n-h); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “Upon the surface of”; Notes: Indicates the location.
- הַמִּדְבָּר֙ (hamidbar) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “The wilderness”; Notes: Specifies the geographic setting.
- דַּ֣ק (daq) – Root: דקק (d-q-q); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “Fine”; Notes: Describes the substance’s texture.
- מְחֻסְפָּ֔ס (meḥuspas) – Root: חספס (ḥ-s-p-s); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “Flaky”; Notes: Adds detail about the appearance of the substance.
- דַּ֥ק (daq) – Root: דקק (d-q-q); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “Fine”; Notes: Reiterates the texture for emphasis.
- כַּכְּפֹ֖ר (kakkephor) – Root: כפר (k-p-r); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “As frost”; Notes: Compares the substance to frost.
- עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ (ʿal-haʾarets) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ts); Form: Preposition + Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “On the ground”; Notes: Indicates where the substance was found.