| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav-consecutive imperfect vayyiśśāʾ {וַיִּשָּׂא | wayyiśśāʾ} ‘and-he-lifted’, establishing sequential narrative. Bilʿām {בִלְעָם | Bilʿām} ‘Balaam’ is the agent. The marker ʾet {אֶת־ | ʾet} attaches to ʿênāyw {עֵינָיו | ʿênāyw} ‘his-eyes’. The second vav-consecutive vayyārʾ {וַיַּרְא֙ | wayyārʾ} ‘and-he-saw’ continues with ʾet {אֶת־ | ʾet} marking Yiśrāʾêl {יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | Yiśrāʾêl} ‘Israel’. The participle šōḵēn {שֹׁכֵ֖ן | šōḵēn} ‘dwelling’ governs lišəḇāṭāyw {לִשְׁבָטָ֑יו | lišəḇāṭāyw} ‘by-his-tribes’, indicating arrangement. The vav-consecutive wəṯtəhî {וַתְּהִ֥י | wəṯtəhî} ‘and-it-became’ introduces the result clause with ʿālāw {עָלָיו | ʿālāw} ‘upon-him’ + rūaḥ {ר֥וּחַ | rūaḥ} ‘spirit’ + ʾĕlōhîm {אֱלֹהִים | ʾĕ-lō-hîm} ‘God’, a standard Hebrew idiom for divine inspiration. This structure highlights Balaam’s observation leading directly to the Spirit’s arrival. |