זֹ֛את נַחֲלַ֥ת בְּנֵי־גָ֖ד לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם הֶעָרִ֖ים וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽם׃
This is the inheritance of the sons of Gad according to their families: the cities and their villages.
Morphology
- זֹ֛את (zot) – Root: זה (z-h); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, feminine singular; Translation: “This”; Notes: Refers to the inheritance described.
- נַחֲלַ֥ת (naḥalat) – Root: נחל (n-ḥ-l); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “inheritance of”; Notes: Often used in biblical contexts to refer to land division.
- בְּנֵי־גָ֖ד (benei-Gad) – Root: בן + גד (b-n + G-d); Form: Construct phrase, noun plural + proper noun; Translation: “the sons of Gad”; Notes: Refers to the tribe of Gad.
- לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם (le-mishpeḥotam) – Root: משפחה (m-sh-p-ḥ); Form: Preposition ל + noun, feminine plural, suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “according to their families”; Notes: Indicates division by family groups.
- הֶעָרִ֖ים (he-ʿarim) – Root: עיר (ʿ-i-r); Form: Noun, feminine plural, definite; Translation: “the cities”; Notes: Refers to the urban areas allocated to the tribe.
- וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽם׃ (ve-ḥatztreihem) – Root: חצר (ḥ-ts-r); Form: Conjunction ו + noun, masculine plural, suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and their villages”; Notes: Refers to smaller settlements surrounding the cities.
Syntax Analysis
The verse follows a nominal clause structure, where “זֹ֛את” (“This”) serves as the subject, followed by “נַחֲלַ֥ת בְּנֵי־גָ֖ד” (“the inheritance of the sons of Gad”) as the predicate. The additional details about “הֶעָרִ֖ים וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽם” (“the cities and their villages”) provide further specification.
Grammatical Analysis
The word “נַחֲלַ֥ת” is in the construct state, linking it to “בְּנֵי־גָ֖ד.” The suffix on “לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם” (their families) shows possession, emphasizing that the inheritance was divided among the various family groups of the tribe.
Lexical Semantics
- נַחֲלָה (naḥalah) – “inheritance, possession”: Often used for land distribution in ancient Israel.
- מִשְׁפָּחָה (mishpaḥah) – “family, clan”: A significant unit in Israelite social structure.
- חָצֵר (ḥatzer) – “village, courtyard”: Can refer to small rural settlements outside of walled cities.
Word Study
- נַחֲלָה (naḥalah) – “inheritance”: This term is used frequently in the division of land among the tribes of Israel, reinforcing the concept of divine allotment.
- חָצֵר (ḥatzer) – “village”: Common in land descriptions, referring to unwalled rural dwellings.
Textual Criticism