| 27. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav consecutive verb vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | va-yo-mer} ‘and he said’, introducing Balak’s speech. The proper noun Balak {בָּלָק | ba-lāq} serves as the speaker. The entreaty lecha-na {לְכָה־נָּא | lə-ḥā-nāʾ} ‘come now’ combines an imperative with a politeness particle. Ekkachakha {אֶקָּחֲךָ | ʾeqqāḥăḵā} ‘I will take you’ expresses a first person singular pledge. The spatial expression el-makom acher {אֶל־מָקוֹם אַחֵר | ʾel-mā-qōm ʾa-ḥēr} ‘to another place’ shifts the setting. Ulay {אוּלַי | ʾu-lay} ‘perhaps’ introduces the evaluative clause headed by yishar {יִישַׁר | yi-šār} ‘it will be right’. The idiom be-einei haElohim {בְּעֵינֵי הָאֱלֹהִים | bə-ʿê-nê hā-ʾĕ-lō-hîm} ‘in the eyes of God’ conveys divine approval. The Piel infinitive vekabto {וְקַבֹּתוֹ | wə-qaḇ-ṭô} ‘and curse him’ articulates the intended action, and li misham {לִי מִשָּׁם | li mi-š-šām} ‘for me from there’ marks beneficiary and source. The structure frames Balak’s proposal as contingent on divine sanction. |