| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the prepositional phrase lematteh {לְמַטֵּה | lə-mattēh} ‘for the tribe’, establishing a belonging context typical of census or allotment lists. The proper name Ephraim {אֶפְרָ֖יִם | ʾe-prā-yim} serves as the object of that preposition. This is followed by the construct chain hoshea ben-nun, where Hoshea {הוֹשֵׁ֥עַ | hō-šē-ʿa} is linked by the construct marker ben {בִּן | bin} ‘son-of’ to the ancestral name Nun {נוּן | nûn}, forming a patronymic identifier. The absence of the definite article in Hebrew necessitates its insertion in English for natural expression, reflecting the head-final (PP + NP + NP) structure and the compact genealogical style of the Hebrew text. |