1
Now these are the portions that the Israelites inherited in the land of Canaan, as distributed by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes of Israel.
Berean Standard Bible · CC0
Hebrew — tap a word ↓
wə·’êl·leh ’ă·šer- ḇə·nê- yiś·rā·’êl nā·ḥă·lū bə·’e·reṣ kə·nā·‘an ni·ḥă·lū ’ō·w·ṯām ’ă·šer ’el·‘ā·zār hak·kō·hên wî·hō·wō·šu·a‘ bin- nūn wə·rā·šê ’ă·ḇō·wṯ ham·maṭ·ṭō·wṯ liḇ·nê yiś·rā·’êl
Word by word20 · parsed
√ ʼêl-leh — these or thoseConjunctive wawPronouncommon plural
wə·’êlleh — "and these": the conjunction stitches this heading to the territorial lists that follow (Joshua 15–19), not to what precedes.
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
√ bên — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etcNounmasculine plural construct
√ Yisrâʼêl — Jisrael, a symbolical name of JacobNounpropermasculine singular
√ nâchal — to inherit (as a (figurative) mode of descent), or (generally) to occupyVerbQalPerfectthird person common plural
Qal nāḥălū, "they took as inheritance." The verb nāḥal governs this whole unit; it is the legal-theological word for receiving land as a permanent, heritable possession — not earned, but given by covenant promise.
√ ʼerets — the earth (at large, or partitively a land)Preposition-bNounfeminine singular construct
√ Kᵉnaʻan — Kenaan, a son a HamNounpropermasculine singular
√ nâchal — to inherit (as a (figurative) mode of descent), or (generally) to occupyVerbPielPerfectthird person common plural
Piel niḥălū, the causative/intensive of the same root: "they apportioned as an inheritance." The grammar itself distinguishes the two parties — the nation inherits (Qal, v.4), the commission causes-to-inherit (Piel). One root, two voices: gift received and gift administered.
√ ʼêth — properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)Direct object markerthird person masculine plural
√ ʼăsher — who, which, what, thatPronounrelative
√ ʼElʻâzâr — Elazar, the name of seven IsraelitesNounpropermasculine singular
Eleazar (H499) is named before Joshua. Several commentators (Cambridge, JFB, Keil) note this order is deliberate and follows Numbers 27:21 and 34:17 — in a matter decided by sacred lot the high priest, representing God's rule, takes precedence over the civil leader.
√ kôhên — literally one officiating, a priestArticleNounmasculine singular
hak·kōhên, "the priest" — the office, not merely the man; the cultic authority that legitimates the casting of lots before the LORD.
√ Yᵉhôwshûwaʻ — Jehoshua (iConjunctive wawNounpropermasculine singular
Joshua "son of Nun" — the patronymic ties this distributor of rest to the conqueror of chapters 1–12; the same name (H3091) frames the land-division section at 14:1 and again at its close, 19:51.
√ bên — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etcNounmasculine singular construct
√ Nûwn — Nun or Non, the father of JoshuaNounpropermasculine singular
√ rôʼsh — the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itcConjunctive wawNounmasculine plural construct
√ ʼâb — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationNounmasculine plural construct
√ maṭṭeh — a branch (as extending)ArticleNounmasculine plural
√ bên — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etcPreposition-lNounmasculine plural construct
√ Yisrâʼêl — Jisrael, a symbolical name of JacobNounpropermasculine singular