| 38. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with vayyōmer {וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | wayyōmer} ‘and he said,’ using the vav-consecutive verbal form to introduce direct discourse. The compound expression hinnēh-bā’tī {הִֽנֵּה־בָ֙אתִי֙ | hinnēh-bā’tī} merges the interjection ‘behold’ with a Qal perfect to emphasize the completed arrival. The rhetorical question hayākol ʾûkhal {הֲיָכ֥וֹל אוּכַ֖ל | hayākol ʾûkhal} combines an infinitive absolute with an imperfect verb to intensify the sense of inability apart from divine commission. In the relative clause haddābār ʾăšer yāsim ʾĕlōhîm bəpî {הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָשִׂ֧ם אֱלֹהִ֛ים בְּפִ֖י | haddābār ʾăšer yāsim ʾĕlōhîm bəpî} ‘the word that God puts in my mouth,’ the clause structure underscores that Balaam’s words are exclusively derived from divine initiative. The English translation preserves the Hebrew clause order while smoothing relative pronoun placement for readability without sacrificing theological emphasis. |