וַיֵּ֨רֶד יְהוָ֥ה בֶּעָנָן֮ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָיו֒ וַיָּ֗אצֶל מִן־הָר֨וּחַ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלָ֔יו וַיִּתֵּ֕ן עַל־שִׁבְעִ֥ים אִ֖ישׁ הַזְּקֵנִ֑ים וַיְהִ֗י כְּנֹ֤וחַ עֲלֵיהֶם֙ הָר֔וּחַ וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ וְלֹ֥א יָסָֽפוּ׃
And YHWH descended in the cloud and spoke to him. And he took from the spirit that was upon him and placed it upon the seventy elders. And when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied but did not continue.
Morphology
- וַיֵּ֨רֶד (va-ye-red) – Root: ירד (y-r-d); Form: Qal imperfect with vav consecutive, 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he descended”; Notes: Describes YHWH coming down in the cloud.
- יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) – Root: Tetragrammaton; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God.
- בֶּעָנָן֮ (be-a-nan) – Root: ענן (a-n-n); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular; Translation: “In the cloud”; Notes: Refers to the medium of YHWH’s descent.
- וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר (va-ye-daber) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Form: Piel imperfect with vav consecutive, 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he spoke”; Notes: Emphasizes deliberate communication by YHWH.
- אֵלָיו֒ (e-lav) – Root: אל (e-l); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “To him”; Notes: Refers to Moshe as the recipient of YHWH’s speech.
- וַיָּ֗אצֶל (va-ya-tsel) – Root: אצל (a-ts-l); Form: Hiphil imperfect with vav consecutive, 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he took from”; Notes: Indicates the transfer of spirit.
- מִן־הָר֨וּחַ֙ (min-ha-ru-aḥ) – Root: רוח (r-w-ḥ); Form: Preposition + noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “From the spirit”; Notes: Refers to the divine spirit imparted to the elders.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלָ֔יו (a-sher a-lav) – Root: עלה (ʿ-l-h); Form: Relative particle + preposition + pronoun; Translation: “That was upon him”; Notes: Refers to the spirit resting on Moshe.
- וַיִּתֵּ֕ן (va-yit-ten) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Qal imperfect with vav consecutive, 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he placed”; Notes: Indicates the distribution of the spirit to the elders.
- עַל־שִׁבְעִ֥ים (al-shiv-im) – Root: שבע (sh-b-ʿ); Form: Preposition + numeral, masculine plural; Translation: “Upon seventy”; Notes: Specifies the number of elders receiving the spirit.
- אִישׁ֙ (ish) – Root: איש (i-sh); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Men”; Notes: Describes the individuals chosen as elders.
- הַזְּקֵנִ֑ים (ha-ze-ke-nim) – Root: זקן (z-q-n); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “The elders”; Notes: Refers to the leaders of the people.
- וַיְהִ֗י (va-ye-hi) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal imperfect with vav consecutive, 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Introduces the subsequent event.
- כְּנֹ֤וחַ (ke-no-aḥ) – Root: נוח (n-w-ḥ); Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “When it rested”; Notes: Refers to the spirit descending upon the elders.
- עֲלֵיהֶם֙ (a-lei-hem) – Root: על (ʿ-l); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “Upon them”; Notes: Specifies the elders as the recipients.
- הָר֔וּחַ (ha-ru-aḥ) – Root: רוח (r-w-ḥ); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “The spirit”; Notes: Refers to the divine empowerment.
- וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ (va-yit-nab-be-u) – Root: נבא (n-b-a); Form: Hitpael imperfect with vav consecutive, 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they prophesied”; Notes: Indicates a temporary divine inspiration.
- וְלֹ֥א יָסָֽפוּ (ve-lo ya-sa-fu) – Root: יסף (y-s-f); Form: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “But did not continue”; Notes: Suggests the prophecy was a one-time event.