Numbers 24:13

אִם־יִתֶּן־לִ֨י בָלָ֜ק מְלֹ֣א בֵיתֹו֮ כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָב֒ לֹ֣א אוּכַ֗ל לַעֲבֹר֙ אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות טֹובָ֛ה אֹ֥ו רָעָ֖ה מִלִּבִּ֑י אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֹתֹ֥ו אֲדַבֵּֽר׃

‘If Balaq were to give me the fullness of his house in silver and gold, I could not transgress the mouth of YHWH to do good or evil from my own heart; whatever YHWH speaks, that I will speak.’

Morphology

1. אִם (ʾim) – Form: Conditional particle; Translation: “If”; Notes: Introduces a hypothetical condition.
2. יִתֶּן (yitten) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He gives”; Notes: Refers to a potential action by Balaq.
3. לִ֨י (li) – Root: ל (le); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “To me”; Notes: Indicates the recipient of the action.
4. בָלָ֜ק (Balaq) – Proper noun: Balaq; Translation: “Balaq”; Notes: The Moabite king.
5. מְלֹ֣א (melo) – Root: מלא (male); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “The fullness of”; Notes: Indicates quantity.
6. בֵיתֹו֮ (beito) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Noun masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “His house”; Notes: Refers to Balaq’s wealth.
7. כֶּ֣סֶף (kesef) – Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “Silver”; Notes: Material wealth.
8. וְזָהָב֒ (vezahav) – Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “And gold”; Notes: Indicates additional wealth.
9. לֹ֣א (lo) – Form: Negative particle; Translation: “Not”; Notes: Denotes prohibition.
10. אוּכַ֗ל (ʾukhal) – Root: יכל (yakhol); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I can”; Notes: Expresses inability.
11. לַעֲבֹר֙ (laʿavor) – Root: עבר (ʿavar); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “To transgress”; Notes: Indicates a potential violation.
12. אֶת־פִּ֣י (ʾet-pi) – Root: פה (peh); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “The mouth of”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s command.
13. יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Proper noun: YHWH; Translation: “The LORD”; Notes: The Tetragrammaton.
14. לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות (laʿasot) – Root: עשׂה (ʿasah); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “To do”; Notes: Indicates an action.
15. טֹובָ֛ה (tovah) – Root: טוב (tov); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “Good”; Notes: Refers to favorable action.
16. אֹ֥ו (ʾo) – Form: Conjunction; Translation: “Or”; Notes: Connects alternatives.
17. רָעָ֖ה (raʿah) – Root: רע (raʿ); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “Evil”; Notes: Refers to harmful action.
18. מִלִּבִּ֑י (milibi) – Root: לב (lev); Form: Noun masculine singular construct with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “From my heart”; Notes: Indicates personal initiative.
19. אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּ֥ר (ʾasher-yedabber) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Relative pronoun + Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Whatever speaks”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s words.
20. יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) – Proper noun: YHWH; Translation: “The LORD”; Notes: The divine name.
21. אֹתֹ֥ו (oto) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “It”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s word.
22. אֲדַבֵּֽר׃ (ʾadabber) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will speak”; Notes: Indicates Bilʿam’s obedience.