הָעָֽם׃

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 הָעָֽם׃

   ha-AM

   for the people
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 לִשְׁתֹּ֥ת הָעָֽם׃

   lish-TOT ha-AM

   to drink for the people
3. clause🔊 וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ בִּרְפִידִ֔ים וְאֵ֥ין מַ֖יִם לִשְׁתֹּ֥ת הָעָֽם׃

   va-ya-kha-NU bir-fi-DIM ve-EIN MA-yim lish-TOT ha-AM

   {And} they camped at Rephidim water and there was no to drink for the people
4. sentence🔊 וַ֠יִּסְעוּ כָּל־עֲדַ֨ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל מִמִּדְבַּר־סִ֛ין לְמַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ בִּרְפִידִ֔ים וְאֵ֥ין מַ֖יִם לִשְׁתֹּ֥ת הָעָֽם׃

   va-yis-U kol-a-DAT be-nei-yis-ra-EL mi-mid-bar-SIN le-mas-EI-hem al-PI Ye-ho-VAH va-ya-kha-NU bir-fi-DIM ve-EIN MA-yim lish-TOT ha-AM

   all the congregation of the sons of Israel {And they} set out from the wilderness of Sin by their stages according to the command of LORD {And} they camped at Rephidim water and there was no to drink for the people

Exegesis

Finally, the existential clause wə-ʾên mā-yim liš-tōṯ hā-ʿām {וְאֵ֥ן מַ֖יִם לִשְׁתֹּ֥ת הָעָֽם | wə-ʾên mā-yim liš-tōṯ hā-ʿām} ‘and there was no water for the people to drink’ introduces a crisis that heightens narrative tension.

Root and etymology

ayin-mem-mem🔊 ע־מ־מayin-mem-mem

“people”

• 🔊 אֻמָּהʾum-māhnationGenesis 25:16