וַיְהִ֤י הָעָם֙ כְּמִתְאֹ֣נְנִ֔ים רַ֖ע בְּאָזְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע יְהוָה֙ וַיִּ֣חַר אַפֹּ֔ו וַתִּבְעַר־בָּם֙ אֵ֣שׁ יְהוָ֔ה וַתֹּ֖אכַל בִּקְצֵ֥ה הַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃
And the people were as complainers, speaking evil in the ears of YHWH. And YHWH heard, and His anger burned, and the fire of YHWH burned among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp.
Morphology
- וַיְהִ֤י (vayehi) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal waw consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Indicates the beginning of a narrative.
- הָעָם֙ (ha-am) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Masculine singular noun with definite article; Translation: “The people”; Notes: Refers to the congregation of Yisra’el.
- כְּמִתְאֹ֣נְנִ֔ים (ke-mitʾonənim) – Root: אנן (ʾ-n-n); Form: Hithpael participle masculine plural with prefix; Translation: “As complainers”; Notes: Depicts murmuring or complaining in discontent.
- רַ֖ע (ra) – Root: רעע (r-ʿ-ʿ); Form: Masculine singular adjective; Translation: “Evil”; Notes: Qualifies the nature of their complaint.
- בְּאָזְנֵ֣י (be-oznei) – Root: אוזן (ʾ-z-n); Form: Feminine dual noun in construct form with preposition; Translation: “In the ears of”; Notes: Refers to YHWH hearing the complaint.
- יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (y-h-w-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name of God.
- וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע (vayishmaʿ) – Root: שמע (sh-m-ʿ); Form: Qal waw consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And He heard”; Notes: Refers to YHWH listening to the people’s complaints.
- וַיִּ֣חַר (vayichar) – Root: חרה (ḥ-r-h); Form: Qal waw consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it burned”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s anger.
- אַפֹּ֔ו (apo) – Root: אף (ʾ-p); Form: Masculine singular noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “His anger”; Notes: A metaphorical expression of divine wrath.
- וַתִּבְעַר־ (vativʿar) – Root: בער (b-ʿ-r); Form: Qal waw consecutive imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And it burned”; Notes: Refers to the fire of YHWH.
- בָּם֙ (bam) – Root: ב (b); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “Among them”; Notes: Indicates the object of the burning fire.
- אֵ֣שׁ (esh) – Root: אש (ʾ-sh); Form: Feminine singular noun; Translation: “Fire”; Notes: A divine manifestation of judgment.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (y-h-w-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name associated with the fire.
- וַתֹּ֖אכַל (vatoʾkhal) – Root: אכל (ʾ-k-l); Form: Qal waw consecutive imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And it consumed”; Notes: Refers to the destructive effect of the fire.
- בִּקְצֵ֥ה (biqtzeh) – Root: קצה (q-tz-h); Form: Masculine singular noun with preposition; Translation: “The outskirts of”; Notes: Refers to the edge or perimeter of the camp.
- הַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ (ha-machaneh) – Root: חנה (ḥ-n-h); Form: Masculine singular noun with definite article; Translation: “The camp”; Notes: Refers to the encampment of Yisra’el.