בְּנֵ֖י

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 בְּנֵ֖י

   be-NEI

   sons of
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 וְאוֹן בֶּן־פֶּ֥לֶת בְּנֵ֖י

   ve-ON ben-PE-let be-NEI

   and On the son of Peleth sons of
3. clause🔊 וְדָתָ֧ן וַאֲבִירָ֛ם בְּנֵ֥י אֶלִיאָ֖ב וְאוֹן בֶּן־פֶּ֥לֶת בְּנֵ֖י רְאוּבֵֽן׃

   ve-da-TAN va-a-vi-RAM be-NEI e-li-AV ve-ON ben-PE-let be-NEI re-u-VEN

   and Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab and On the son of Peleth sons of Reuben
4. sentence🔊 וַיִּקַּ֣ח קֹ֔רַח בֶּן־יִצְהָ֑ר בֶּן־קְהָ֓ת בֶּן־לֵוִ֑י וְדָתָ֧ן וַאֲבִירָ֛ם בְּנֵ֥י אֶלִיאָ֖ב וְאוֹן בֶּן־פֶּ֥לֶת בְּנֵ֖י רְאוּבֵֽן׃

   va-yi-KAKH KO-rakh ben-YITS-har ben-ke-HAT ben-le-VI ve-da-TAN va-a-vi-RAM be-NEI e-li-AV ve-ON ben-PE-let be-NEI re-u-VEN

   Now took Korah the son of Izhar the son of Kohath the son of Levi and Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab and On the son of Peleth sons of Reuben

Exegesis

Additional participants are introduced via coordinating conjunctions ve-datan {וְדָתָ֨ן | wə-dāṯān} ‘and Dathan’ and va'aviram {וַאֲבִירָ֜ם | vaʾăbîrām} ‘and Abiram’, each linked to their patronymic benei Eliav {בְּנֵ֧י אֱלִיאָ֛ב | bənê ʾĕlîyāʾv} ‘sons of Eliab’, and ve-on {וְאֹ֖ן | wə-ʾōn} ‘and On’ with ben-pelet {בֶּן־פֶּ֖לֶת | ben-peleṯ} ‘son of Pelet’, culminating in the construct benei Reuben {בְּנֵ֥י רְאוּבֵֽן | bənê Rəʾûḇēn} ‘sons of Reuben’. This series of chained constructs and conjunctive vav markers weaves a cumulative genealogy that underscores collective tribal identity and unified action among the insurgents.

Root and etymology

Root🔊 ב־נ־יbet-nun-yod

“son, descendant”