| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with vayillonu {וַיִּלֹּנוּ | way·yillō·nû} ‘and they grumbled,’ a piel imperfect verb conveying intensified complaint, followed by the coordinated prepositional phrases al-Moshe and ve-al-Aharon indicating the targets of reproach. The subject kol benei Yisrael {כֹּל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל | kôl bə·nê Yiś·rā·ʾēl} stresses the collective identity of the people. The vav consecutive with vayomeru {וַיֹּאמְרוּ | way·yō·mər·û} links the people’s speech clause, alehem {אֲלֵהֶם | ʾă·lē·hem}, to the grumbling. The particle lu {לוּ | lû} appears twice to express a vehement wish, each followed by matnu {מַתְנוּ | maṯ·nû} in perfect tense, highlighting completed desire. The alternating location phrases be-eretz Mitsrayim {בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם | bᵊ-ʾe·reṣ Miṣ·rā·yim} and ba-midbar hazzeh {בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה | ba·mid·bār ha·zzeh} set a stark contrast between remembered bondage and present desolation. The repetition and parallelism underscore the depth of regret and despair. |