וַֽיִּקְרְא֛וּ בְּנֵי־רְאוּבֵ֥ן וּבְנֵי־גָ֖ד לַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ כִּ֣י עֵ֥ד הוּא֙ בֵּֽינֹתֵ֔ינוּ כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ פ
And the sons of Reʾuven and the sons of Gad called the altar: “For it is a witness between us that YHWH is God.”
Morphology
- וַֽיִּקְרְא֛וּ (va-yiqreʾu) – Root: קרא (qaraʾ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they called”; Notes: Refers to naming the altar.
- בְּנֵי־רְאוּבֵ֥ן (bene-Reʾuven) – Root: בן, ראובן (ben, Reʾuven); Form: Construct noun, masculine plural + proper noun; Translation: “the sons of Reʾuven”; Notes: One of the naming groups.
- וּבְנֵי־גָ֖ד (u-bene-Gad) – Root: בן, גד (ben, Gad); Form: Construct noun, masculine plural + proper noun; Translation: “and the sons of Gad”; Notes: The other naming group.
- לַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ (la-mizbeaḥ) – Root: מזבח (mizbeaḥ); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “the altar”; Notes: The object being named.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces the reason.
- עֵ֥ד (ʿed) – Root: עד (ʿed); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “a witness”; Notes: Describes the altar’s function.
- הוּא֙ (hu) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Pronoun, 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “it is”; Notes: Refers to the altar.
- בֵּֽינֹתֵ֔ינוּ (beinotenu) – Root: בין (bein); Form: Preposition with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “between us”; Notes: Indicates mutual agreement.
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the declaration.
- יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name.
- הָאֱלֹהִֽים (ha-ʾElohim) – Root: אלהים (ʾElohim); Form: Noun, masculine plural absolute with definite article; Translation: “is God”; Notes: Declares YHWH’s identity.