וַתֵּ֤רֶא הָֽאָתֹון֙ אֶת־מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה וַתִּרְבַּ֖ץ תַּ֣חַת בִּלְעָ֑ם וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֣ף בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיַּ֥ךְ אֶת־הָאָתֹ֖ון בַּמַּקֵּֽל׃
And the donkey saw the angel of YHWH, and she lay down under Bilʿam. And Bilʿam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with a staff.
Morphology
- וַתֵּ֤רֶא (vatera) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And she saw”; Notes: Refers to the donkey perceiving the angel.
- הָֽאָתֹון֙ (ha-aton) – Root: אתן (aton); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the donkey”; Notes: The subject of the verb.
- אֶת־מַלְאַ֣ךְ (et-malʾakh) – Root: מלאך (malakh); Form: Noun, masculine singular with object marker; Translation: “the angel of”; Notes: Object of the donkey’s vision.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name.
- וַתִּרְבַּ֖ץ (vatirbatz) – Root: רבץ (ravatz); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and she lay down”; Notes: Describes the donkey’s action.
- תַּ֣חַת (taḥat) – Root: תחת (taḥat); Form: Preposition; Translation: “under”; Notes: Indicates position relative to Bilʿam.
- בִּלְעָ֑ם (Bilʿam) – Root: בלע (balaʿ); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Bilʿam”; Notes: Refers to the rider.
- וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֣ף (vayichar-af) – Root: חרה (charah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and his anger was kindled”; Notes: Refers to Bilʿam’s emotional response.
- בִּלְעָ֔ם (Bilʿam) – Root: בלע (balaʿ); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Bilʿam”; Notes: The subject of the anger.
- וַיַּ֥ךְ (vayyake) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and he struck”; Notes: Refers to Bilʿam’s action against the donkey.
- אֶת־הָאָתֹ֖ון (et-haʾaton) – Root: אתן (aton); Form: Noun, feminine singular with object marker and definite article; Translation: “the donkey”; Notes: Object of Bilʿam’s action.
- בַּמַּקֵּֽל׃ (bammakel) – Root: מקל (makel); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “with a staff”; Notes: Instrument used for striking.