וַיִּשָּׂ֨א בִלְעָ֜ם אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שֹׁכֵ֖ן לִשְׁבָטָ֑יו וַתְּהִ֥י עָלָ֖יו ר֥וּחַ אֱלֹהִֽים׃
And Bilʿam lifted his eyes and saw Yisraʾel dwelling according to their tribes, and the Spirit of God came upon him.
Morphology
- וַיִּשָּׂ֨א (vayissaʾ) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he lifted”; Notes: Indicates an intentional act of looking.
- בִלְעָ֜ם (Bilʿam) – Root: בלעם (Bilʿam); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Bilʿam”; Notes: The Moabite prophet.
- אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו (ʾet-einav) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun, dual construct with object marker and 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his eyes”; Notes: Indicates a physical act of looking upward.
- וַיַּרְא֙ (vayyarʾ) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he saw”; Notes: Refers to perceiving Yisraʾel’s encampment.
- אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (ʾet-Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun with object marker; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Israel.
- שֹׁכֵ֖ן (shokhen) – Root: שכן (shakhan); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “dwelling”; Notes: Describes the settled position of Yisraʾel.
- לִשְׁבָטָ֑יו (lishvatav) – Root: שבט (shevet); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “according to their tribes”; Notes: Indicates the orderly division of the tribes.
- וַתְּהִ֥י (vatehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And it came”; Notes: Refers to the Spirit of Elohim coming upon Bilʿam.
- עָלָ֖יו (ʿalav) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “upon him”; Notes: Indicates the Spirit’s influence over Bilʿam.
- ר֥וּחַ (ruaḥ) – Root: רוח (ruaḥ); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “Spirit”; Notes: Refers to the divine presence or inspiration.
- אֱלֹהִֽים (Elohim) – Root: אלה (ʾlh); Form: Proper noun, plural intensive; Translation: “Elohim”; Notes: Refers to God.