| 11. Linguistic Exegesis The verse’s narrative sequence is established by the vav-consecutive imperfect vayyiṣʾû {וַיִּסְע֖וּ | wayyiṣʾû} ‘and they set out’, immediately followed by the locative phrase mêʾôwōṯ {מֵאֹבֹ֑ת | mêʾôwōṯ} ‘from Oboth’ to mark the departure point. The next vav-consecutive imperfect wayyaḥănû {וַיַּחֲנ֞וּ | wayyaḥănû} ‘and they camped’ introduces the arrival. The construct chain beʿîyyē hāʿăḇārîm {בְּעִיֵּ֣י הָֽעֲבָרִ֗ים | bəʿîyyē hāʿăḇārîm} ‘in the ruins of the Abarim’ turns common nouns into a toponym. The relative pronoun ʾăšer {אֲשֶׁר֙ | ʾăšer} ‘which’ connects to the boundary locative ʿal·penê mōʾāḇ {עַל־פְּנֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב | ʿal·penê mōʾāḇ} ‘upon the face of Moab’, specifying its position opposite Moab. Finally, the idiom mimmiz·raḥ ha·šāmeš {מִמִּזְרַ֖ח הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ | mimmiz·raḥ ha·šāmeš} ‘toward the sunrise’ combines “from the east” with “the sun” to indicate orientation. This clause sequence underscores movement, place-naming practices, and boundary delineation in the wilderness journey. |