| 24. Linguistic Exegesis The Hebrew narrative marker wayyiṯên {וַיִּתֵּן | wayyiṯên} combines the prefixed vav-consecutive with a Qal imperfect verb to link this action to the ongoing allotment narrative. It is followed by the construct phrase lə-mattêh {לְמַטֵּה | lə-mat·têh} ’to the tribe’ in construct with Gad, establishing the recipient group at the tribal level. This is immediately specified by liḇnê {לִבְנֵי | li·ḇnê} ’to the sons’, again in construct with Gad, narrowing the reference to descendants of Gad. Finally, lə-mišpeḥōṯām {לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם | lə-miš·peḥō·ṯām} ’to their clans’ uses a feminine plural noun with a third person masculine plural suffix, marking further subdivision. The parallel prepositional structure in English preserves the hierarchical distribution and emphasizes the layered identity from tribe down to clan. |