| 22. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with ufa-ga {וּפָגַע֩ | ū-pā-gaʿ} “and it reached,” a vav-consecutive Qal perfect that propels the narrative. The subject ha-gevul {הַגְּב֨וּל | ha-ḡə-vūl} “the boundary” follows the verb, reflecting Hebrew verb–subject order. The series be-tavor {בְּתָב֤וֹר | bə-ṯā-vōr}, ve-shachatzimah {וְשַׁחֲצִ֙ימָה֙ | wə-ša-ḥa-ṣî-māh}, and u-beit shemesh {וּבֵ֣ית שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ | ū-bêṯ še-mēš} names geographic markers. The second vav-consecutive in ve-hayu {וְהָי֛וּ | wə-hā-yû} introduces a result clause where totzeot {תֹּצְא֥וֹת | tō-ṣə-ʾōṯ} “goings-out” and ge-vulam {גְּבוּלָ֖ם | gə-vū-lām} “their boundary” link to ha-yarden {הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן | ha-yar-dēn} “the Jordan.” The final pair arim ve-chatzrei-hen {עָרִ֥ים ... וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן | ʿā-rîm ... wə-ḥa-ṣrê-hen} “cities and their villages” is modified by the compound shesh-esre {שֵׁשׁ-עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה | šeš-ʿeś-rê-ʾ} “sixteen.” English SVO order preserves the verse’s temporal progression and list structure while ensuring clarity. |