| 7. Linguistic Exegesis The phrase le-matteh {לְמַטֵּה | lə-maṭ-ṭēh} ‘for tribe’ marks a prepositional construct indicating belonging. It enters a construct chain with yissaskhar {יִשָּׂשכָר | yissaš-ḵār} ‘Issachar’, yielding “for the tribe of Issachar.” The nominative yigʾal {יִגְאָ֖ל | yig-ʾāl} ‘Igal’ stands as the head of the nominal clause, identifying the individual representative. The patronymic ben-yoseph {בֶּן־יוֹסֵֽף | ben-yō-sēph} ‘son of Joseph’ attaches as a construct phrase specifying lineage. This hierarchical structure (tribe > individual > ancestry) typifies biblical enumeration lists. The absence of a verb reflects a nominal clause common in census records, while English translation smooths the construct into natural phrasing. |