Numbers 24:20:2Num.24.20.W2TAB
אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֔ק
etamalek
“Amalek”
- Transliteration
- et-a-ma-LEK
- Extended
- EHT-ah-mah-LEHK
- IPA
- /ʔet.ʕa.maˈlek/
Meaning by language
- English
- Amalek
Hebrew · tap a syllable to hear it
Alphabet Analysis
| Aleph | silent — a glottal stop; holds vowel points | |
| Seghol | short 'eh' as in met | |
| Tav | t as in top | |
| Ayin | deep guttural stop, voiced pharyngeal | |
| Hateph Patach | reduced 'ah' | |
| Mem | m as in mother | |
| Qamets | long 'ah' | |
| Lamed | l as in law | |
| Tsere | long 'ey' as in they | |
| Qof | q — deep k, uvular |
Tap any letter to hear its name and sound
Now you try — trace the word:
The word
Word in context
- word
et-a-ma-LEK
- clause
va-yar et-a-ma-LEK va-yi-SA me-sha-LO va-yo-MAR
- sentence
va-yar et-a-ma-LEK va-yi-SA me-sha-LO va-yo-MAR re-shit go-YIM a-ma-LEK ve-a-kha-ri-TO a-DEI o-VED
Exegesis
Balaam’s oracle opens with the vav-consecutive imperfect {וַיַּרְא֙ | wayyár} ‘and he saw’ followed by the definite direct-object marker {אֶת־ | ’et} ‘accusative marker’.
The construct chain reshith goyim ’Amalek {רֵאשִׁ֤ית גּוֹיִם֙ עֲמָלֵ֔ק | rēšı̄̂t gôyı̂m ’ămālêq} ‘first of nations—Amalek’ asserts Amalek’s primacy.
In context — Numbers 24:20
And he saw Amalek and lifted up his oracle, and he said, “Amalek was the first of the nations, but his end will be utter destruction.”
About this coordinate
Numbers 24:20:2 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 2 of Numbers 24:20, so the Hebrew word אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֔ק (etamalek) can be cited, linked and studied at exactly this position rather than somewhere in the verse. In the Biblical Knowledge Coordinate System the same position is written Num.24.20.W2, which extends further down to each syllable (Num.24.20.W2.S1) and character.