וַיֹּ֨אמֶר בִּלְעָ֜ם לְבָלָ֗ק הִתְיַצֵּב֮ עַל־עֹלָתֶךָ֒ וְאֵֽלְכָ֗ה אוּלַ֞י יִקָּרֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ לִקְרָאתִ֔י וּדְבַ֥ר מַה־יַּרְאֵ֖נִי וְהִגַּ֣דְתִּי לָ֑ךְ וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ שֶֽׁפִי׃
And Bilʿam said to Balaq, “Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps YHWH will come to meet me, and whatever He shows me, I will tell you.” And he went to a solitary place.
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (vayomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Indicates Bilʿam speaking.
- בִּלְעָ֜ם (Bilʿam) – Root: בלע (balaʿ); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Bilʿam”; Notes: The prophet.
- לְבָלָ֗ק (le-Balak) – Root: בלק (Balak); Form: Preposition with proper noun; Translation: “to Balak”; Notes: Addressing the king of Moab.
- הִתְיַצֵּב֮ (hityatzev) – Root: יצב (yatsav); Form: Hitpael imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Stand”; Notes: Instruction to remain in place.
- עַל־עֹלָתֶךָ֒ (ʿal-ʿolatkha) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Preposition with noun, feminine singular construct and 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “by your burnt offering”; Notes: Refers to Balak’s offering.
- וְאֵֽלְכָ֗ה (ve-elekha) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal cohortative 1st person singular; Translation: “and I will go”; Notes: Bilʿam intends to seek YHWH.
- אוּלַ֞י (ulai) – Root: אל (ʾul); Form: Adverb; Translation: “perhaps”; Notes: Indicates uncertainty.
- יִקָּרֵ֤ה (yiqqareh) – Root: קרה (qarah); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “will come to meet”; Notes: Passive form indicating possible encounter.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hwh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The Tetragrammaton, referring to the divine name.
- לִקְרָאתִ֔י (liqraʾti) – Root: קרא (qaraʾ); Form: Preposition with infinitive construct and 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to meet me”; Notes: Expresses intent of encounter.
- וּדְבַ֥ר (u-devar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and whatever He shows”; Notes: Refers to YHWH revealing something.
- מַה־יַּרְאֵ֖נִי (mah-yarʾeni) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “what He shows me”; Notes: Refers to divine revelation.
- וְהִגַּ֣דְתִּי (ve-higgadti) – Root: נגד (nagad); Form: Hifil perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will tell”; Notes: Indicates Bilʿam’s intent to report.
- לָ֑ךְ (lakh) – Root: לך (lakh); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Refers to Balak.
- וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ (vayyelek) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and he went”; Notes: Bilʿam’s movement.
- שֶֽׁפִי׃ (shefi) – Root: שפי (shefi); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a solitary place”; Notes: Refers to a quiet or isolated location.