| 25. Linguistic Exegesis The opening vayehi {וַיְהִי | wa-ye-hî} ‘and it was’ (vav consecutive + Qal imperfect third masculine singular) introduces a resultative narrative heading. The expression lahem hagvul {לָהֶם הַגְּב֔וּל | lā-hem ha-gev-vûl} ‘to them the boundary’ marks possession of inherited land. Construct chains unite place names: yaʿzer vekhol-arei hagilad {יַעְזֵר וְכָל־עָרֵי הַגִּלְעָ֔ד | yaʿ-zêr wə-khol-ʿă-rê ha-gil-ʿāḏ} ‘Jazer and all the cities of Gilead’, and vehatsi eretz benei ʿAmmon {וַחֲצִ֕י אֶ֖רֶץ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן | wa-ḥa-ṣî ʾe-reṣ bə-nê ʿam-môn} ‘and half the land of the sons of Ammon’. The boundary extension ad-ʿaroer {עַד־עֲרוֹעֵ֕ר | ʿad-ʿă-rō-ʿêr} ‘as far as Aroer’ is followed by the relative clause asher al-penei rabbah {אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י רַבָּֽה | ʾa-šer ʿal-pə-nê rab-bāh} ‘which is before Rabbah’. The translation preserves Hebrew sequence and clarifies spatial relations by rendering al-penei as “before” or “across from,” maintaining the verse’s precise territorial delineation. |