פְּאַת־יָ֗מָּה חֲמֵ֤שׁ מֵאֹות֙ וְאַרְבַּ֣עַת אֲלָפִ֔ים שַֽׁעֲרֵיהֶ֖ם שְׁלֹשָׁ֑ה שַׁ֣עַר גָּ֞ד אֶחָ֗ד שַׁ֤עַר אָשֵׁר֙ אֶחָ֔ד שַׁ֥עַר נַפְתָּלִ֖י אֶחָֽד׃
The west side, five hundred and four thousand, their gates three: one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naftali.
Morphology
- פְּאַת־ (peʾat) – Root: פאה (peʾah); Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “side of”; Notes: Introduces the description of the western boundary of the city.
- יָמָּה (yammah) – Root: ים (yam); Form: Noun masculine singular with directional suffix; Translation: “westward”; Notes: Derived from “sea,” indicating the direction facing the Mediterranean.
- חֲמֵשׁ (ḥamesh) – Root: חמשׁ (ḥamesh); Form: Numeral feminine singular; Translation: “five”; Notes: Part of the city’s measurement along this side.
- מֵאֹות (meʾot) – Root: מאה (meʾah); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “hundred”; Notes: Combined with “five” to indicate “five hundred.”
- וְאַרְבַּעַת (ve-arbaʿat) – Root: ארבע (ʾarbaʿ); Form: Conjunction וְ + numeral masculine construct; Translation: “and four of”; Notes: Connects with “thousand” to complete the numerical phrase “and four thousand.”
- אֲלָפִים (ʾalafim) – Root: אלף (ʾelef); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “thousand”; Notes: Completes the measurement “five hundred and four thousand.”
- שַֽׁעֲרֵיהֶם (shaʿareihem) – Root: שער (shaʿar); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + suffix 3mp; Translation: “their gates”; Notes: Refers to the total number of gates on the western side of the city.
- שְׁלֹשָׁה (sheloshah) – Root: שלשׁ (shalosh); Form: Numeral masculine singular absolute; Translation: “three”; Notes: Specifies the number of gates on this side, consistent with the other sides of the city.
- שַׁעַר (shaʿar) – Root: שער (shaʿar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “gate”; Notes: Begins the enumeration of the three tribal gates on the western side.
- גָּד (Gad) – Root: גדד (gadad); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Gad”; Notes: The first tribe listed for the western gates; the name implies “fortune” or “troop.”
- אֶחָד (eḥad) – Root: אחד (ʾaḥad); Form: Numeral masculine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Each tribe has one gate designated to its name.
- שַׁעַר (shaʿar) – Root: שער (shaʿar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “gate”; Notes: Continues the pattern of listing the remaining gates by tribe.
- אָשֵׁר (Asher) – Root: אשר (ʾashar); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Asher”; Notes: The second tribe represented; the name carries the sense of “happy” or “blessed.”
- אֶחָד (eḥad) – Root: אחד (ʾaḥad); Form: Numeral masculine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Indicates one gate named for Asher.
- שַׁעַר (shaʿar) – Root: שער (shaʿar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “gate”; Notes: Final repetition introducing the last tribal gate on this side.
- נַפְתָּלִי (Naftali) – Root: פתל (patal); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Naftali”; Notes: The tribe’s name means “my struggle” or “wrestling,” recalling Rachel’s words in Genesis 30:8.
- אֶחָד (eḥad) – Root: אחד (ʾaḥad); Form: Numeral masculine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Concludes the enumeration, confirming one gate per tribe on the western side.