| 16. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav consecutive vayehi {וַיְהִי | vayəhî} ‘and it was’, introducing a summary description. The phrase lahem haguvol {לָהֶם הַגְּב֗וּל | lāhem ha-gəvûl} ‘for them the boundary’ marks possessive assignment of territory. The clause meʿaroʿer asher al-sfat nakhal arnon {מֵעֲרוֹעֵ֡ר אֲשֶׁר עַל־שְׂפַת־נַ֨חַל אַרְנ֜וֹן | mē-ʿărôʿēr ʾăšer ʿal səpat naḥal ʾărnon} uses a construct chain with the preposition me- and a relative clause to specify the starting point. The coordination vehaʾir asher betokh hanakhal {וְהָעִ֨יר אֲשֶׁ֧ר בְּתוֹךְ־הַנַּ֛חַל | wə-hā-ʾîr ʾăšer bə-tōḵ han-naḥal} repeats this pattern for the city’s location. The final conjunct vekol hamishor al meidba {וְכָל־הַמִּישֹׁ֖ר עַל־מֵידְבָֽא | wə-ḵāl ham-mîšôr ʿal mēydəḇā} employs kol plus the noun to denote the entirety of the plain, with al indicating the extent to Medeba. English translation follows the Hebrew progression from general boundary to specific landmarks. |