וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֤ף בָּלָק֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיִּסְפֹּ֖ק אֶת־כַּפָּ֑יו וַיֹּ֨אמֶר בָּלָ֜ק אֶל־בִּלְעָ֗ם לָקֹ֤ב אֹֽיְבַי֙ קְרָאתִ֔יךָ וְהִנֵּה֙ בֵּרַ֣כְתָּ בָרֵ֔ךְ זֶ֖ה שָׁלֹ֥שׁ פְּעָמִֽים׃
And Balaq’s anger burned against Bilʿam, and he struck his hands together. Balaq said to Bilʿam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but instead you have blessed them these three times!
Morphology
- וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֤ף (vayyikhar-af) – Root: חרה (ḥarah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + noun construct; Translation: “And his anger burned”; Notes: Expresses intense anger.
- בָּלָק֙ (Balaq) – Proper noun: Balaq; Translation: “Balaq”; Notes: Name of the king of Mo’av.
- אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם (el-Bilʿam) – Preposition + proper noun: Bilʿam; Translation: “To Bilʿam”; Notes: Indicates direction of speech.
- וַיִּסְפֹּ֖ק (vayyispok) – Root: ספוק (safaq); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He struck”; Notes: Refers to clapping or striking hands in frustration.
- אֶת־כַּפָּ֑יו (et-kappav) – Root: כף (kaf); Form: Noun, feminine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “His hands”; Notes: Used to show emphasis.
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (vayomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He said”; Notes: Introduction to speech.
- לָקֹ֤ב (lakov) – Root: קבב (qabab); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “To curse”; Notes: Indicates the intended action.
- אֹֽיְבַי֙ (oyevai) – Root: אויב (ʾoyev); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “My enemies”; Notes: Describes the target of the curse.
- קְרָאתִ֔יךָ (qeratikha) – Root: קרא (qaraʾ); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “I called you”; Notes: Indicates past action.
- וְהִנֵּה֙ (vehineh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Used for emphasis.
- בֵּרַ֣כְתָּ (berakhta) – Root: ברך (barakh); Form: Piel perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “You have blessed”; Notes: Indicates an unexpected action.
- בָרֵ֔ךְ (barekh) – Root: ברך (barakh); Form: Piel infinitive absolute; Translation: “Indeed blessed”; Notes: Intensifies the action.
- זֶ֖ה (zeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “This”; Notes: Refers to the current event.
- שָׁלֹ֥שׁ (shalosh) – Root: שלש (shalash); Form: Cardinal number, feminine singular; Translation: “Three”; Notes: Indicates the number of occurrences.
- פְּעָמִֽים׃ (peʿamim) – Root: פעם (paʿam); Form: Noun, feminine plural; Translation: “Times”; Notes: Refers to repeated instances.