וַיַּ֣רְא בִּלְעָ֗ם כִּ֣י טֹ֞וב בְּעֵינֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ לְבָרֵ֣ךְ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלֹא־הָלַ֥ךְ כְּפַֽעַם־בְּפַ֖עַם לִקְרַ֣את נְחָשִׁ֑ים וַיָּ֥שֶׁת אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר פָּנָֽיו׃
When Bilʿam saw that it was good in the eyes of YHWH to bless Yisraʾel, he did not go as at other times to seek omens but turned his face toward the wilderness.
Morphology
- וַיַּ֣רְא (vayyarʾ) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he saw”; Notes: Refers to Bilʿam perceiving YHWH’s will.
- בִּלְעָ֗ם (Bilʿam) – Root: בלעם (Bilʿam); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Bilʿam”; Notes: The prophet hired by Balaq.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the reason or cause.
- טֹ֞וב (tov) – Root: טוב (tov); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “good”; Notes: Describes YHWH’s favorable intention.
- בְּעֵינֵ֤י (b-einei) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun, dual construct with preposition; Translation: “in the eyes of”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s perspective.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- לְבָרֵ֣ךְ (levarēkh) – Root: ברך (barakh); Form: Piel infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to bless”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s intention to bestow favor.
- אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (ʾet-Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun with object marker; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Israel.
- וְלֹא־הָלַ֥ךְ (velo-halak) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he did not go”; Notes: Indicates a deviation from previous actions.
- כְּפַֽעַם־בְּפַ֖עַם (ke-faʿam be-faʿam) – Root: פעם (paʿam); Form: Noun, feminine singular with prepositions; Translation: “as at other times”; Notes: Describes a habitual action.
- לִקְרַ֣את (liqrat) – Root: קרה (qarah); Form: Qal infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to seek”; Notes: Refers to seeking omens.
- נְחָשִׁ֑ים (neḥashim) – Root: נחש (naḥash); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “omens”; Notes: Refers to divination practices.
- וַיָּ֥שֶׁת (vayyāshet) – Root: שית (shith); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and he turned”; Notes: Indicates a shift in focus.
- אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר (el-hamidbar) – Root: מדבר (midbar); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “toward the wilderness”; Notes: Refers to the geographic location.
- פָּנָֽיו (panav) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his face”; Notes: Indicates direction or focus.