| 3. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with ve-litslofkhad {וְלִצְלָפְחָד֩ | wə-liṣəlāp̄ḥāḏ} ‘and to Zelophehad,’ a fronted prepositional phrase that topicalizes him within an inheritance setting. What follows is an extended lineage chain (ben-khefer … ben-menasheh {בֶּן־חֵ֨פֶר … בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה | ben-ḥēp̄er … ben-mənaššeh}) using repeated construct relationships to anchor his identity in the tribe. The clause lo-hayu lo banim {לֹא־הָ֥יוּ ל֛וֹ בָּנִ֖ים | lō-hāyû lô bānîm} employs a negated perfect with a plural verb (‘there were not’) to state absence rather than action, and the dative lô {ל֛וֹ | lô} marks the personal lack (“for him”). The exceptive sequence ki … ʾim-bānôṯ {כִּ֣י אִם־בָּנ֑וֹת | kî ʾim-bānôṯ} creates a sharp restriction: not sons, but daughters. The formula ve-eleh shemot {וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ שְׁמ֣וֹת | wə-ʾēlleh šēmôṯ} signals an official enumeration, followed by a coordinated list of five names, with vav-conjunctions framing the series (ve-noah … ve-tirtsah {וְנֹעָ֔ה … וְתִרְצָֽה | wə-nōʿāh … wə-tirṣāh}). |