| 15. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with u-gam {וּגְם | ū-gam} ‘and also’, linking this event to prior actions. The direct-object-marker et {אֶת | ʾet} introduces the construct chain ohelei mikneh {אֹהֲלֵי מִקְנֶה | ʾo-hă-lê miq-nê} ‘tents of livestock’, identifying the herders’ camps as the target. The verb hiku {הִכּוּ | hik-kû} (Hiphil perfect) denotes a completed, forceful strike. The vav-consecutive va-yishbu {וַיִּשְׁבוּ | way-yiš-bû} (Qal imperfect) marks the resultant action ‘they took captive’. The phrase tson la-rov {צֹאן לָרֹב | ṣō-ʾān lā-rōv} employs the preposition lamed to express abundance of sheep. The coordinated object u-gmalim {וּגְמַלִּים | ū-gma-lîm} follows by vav-consecutive, and the narrative concludes with va-yashuvu Yerushalayim {וַיָּשֻׁבוּ יְרוּשָׁלִָם | way-yā-šū-vû Yə-rū-ša-lā-yim}, indicating the subsequent return. In translation, the construct chain is rendered as a possessive phrase, and each vav-consecutive is preserved with conjunctions to maintain the original sequence and emphasis. |