| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the verb vayilinu {וילינו | way-yil-lî-nû} followed by the near-identical vayilonu {וַיִּלּ֜וֹנוּ | way-yil-lō-nû}, intensifying the mood of discontent. The construct kol-adat-bnei-yisrael {כָּל־עֲדַת־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל | kāl-ʿă-daṯ bə-nê-yiś-rā-ʾēl} forms the subject, highlighting the corporate identity of Israel. The paired prepositional phrases al-moshe ve-al-aharon {עַל־מֹשֶׁה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹן | ʿal mō-šeh wə-ʿal ʾa-ha-rōn} mark distinct opposition toward each leader. The final locative bamidbar {בַּמִּדְבָּֽר | bam-mid-bār} situates the narrative in harsh wilderness terrain. English rendering reorders elements to foreground setting and clarify agency. |