| 25. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive wayyəhî {וַיְהִי | wayyəhî} ‘and it became’ as a narrative marker. The construct chain in gəvûlām {גְּבוּלָם | gəvûlām} ‘their border’ links the border to the tribal allotment. The prefixed vav conjunctions on ḥelqāṯ {חֶלְקַת | ḥelqāṯ}, ḥălî {וַחֲלִי | ḥălî}, wābeten {וָבֶטֶן | wābeten}, and wəʾakšāf {וְאַכְשָׁף | wəʾakšāf} form a cumulative list of locations. In translation, the possessive construct and stative sense of wayyəhî are conveyed by “their border was” or “their territory included.” |