| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav-consecutive marker vayhi {וַיְהִי | wayhî} ‘and it was’, indicating narrative continuation. The prepositional phrase lahem {לָהֶם | lā-hem} ‘for them’ establishes tribal possession. The noun gevul {גְּב֣וּל | ge·vûl} ‘boundary’ defines the legal limit, and negev {נֶ֔גֶב | ne·gev} ‘south’ specifies direction. The construct chain miketzeh yam hamelach {מִקְצֵ֖ה יָ֣ם הַמֶּ֑לַח | miq·ṣê yām ham·mē·lāḥ} ‘end of the Salt Sea’ marks the starting point, followed by the construct min-halashon haponeh {מִן־הַלָּשֹׁ֖ן הַפֹּנֶ֥ה | min-ha-la·shôn hap·pō·neh} ‘from the tongue that faces’, a land projection. The adverb negbbah {נֶֽגְבָּה | neg·bāh} ‘southward’ completes the directional expression. The English translation preserves construct relationships while reordering phrases for clarity. |