| 41. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with va-yil-lō-nû {וַיִּלֹּנוּ | va-yil-lō-nû} ‘and they grumbled’, where the Piel imperfect with vav consecutive intensifies the action and links to the previous narrative. The construct chain kol-ʿa-dat-bĕ-nê-Yi-sra-ʾêl {כָל־עֲדַת־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל | kol ʿa-dat bə-nê Yi-sra-ʾêl} denotes the entire community as a single subject. The temporal phrase mim-ma-ḥô-rat {מִמָּחֳרָת | mim-ma-ḥô-rat} ‘on the next day’ frames the sequence. The parallel prepositional phrases ʿal mō-šê and wə-ʿal ʾa-hă-rôn {עַל־מֹשֶׁה | ʿal mō-šê and וְעַל־אַהֲרֹן} mark opposition toward both leaders. The infinitive lê-ʾā-môr {לֵאמֹר | lê-ʾā-môr} ‘saying’ introduces direct speech, realized by the interrogative Hiphil perfect hă-mit-têm {הֲמִתֶּם | hă-mit-têm} ‘Have you killed?’ as an accusatory challenge. The object marker ʾet {אֶת־ | ʾet} precedes ʿam Yə-hō-wāh {עַם יְהוָה | ʿam Yə-hō-wāh} ‘people of the LORD’, emphasizing communal belonging. In translation, the Piel intensity informs ‘grumbled’, and the temporal relation is rendered with ‘on the next day’ to preserve narrative flow. |