וַאֲמַר בִּלְעָם לְבָלָק בְּנֵה לִי הָכָא שַׁבְעָא מַדְבְּחִין וְאַתְקֵן לִי הָכָא שַׁבְעָא תוֹרִין וְשַׁבְעָא דִכְרִין
And Bilʿam said to Balaq, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”
Why This Verse?
This verse illustrates multiple grammatical domains in action:
- Use of Peal vs. Aphel imperatives (בְּנֵה vs. אַתְקֵן)
- Definite numeral constructions with plural nouns (שַׁבְעָא מַדְבְּחִין)
- Construct phrase syntax (שַׁבְעָא דִכְרִין)
It also reveals the ritual-literary tone of Targum Onkelos, maintaining closeness to the Hebrew while embedding subtle Aramaic flavor.
Morphological Analysis
| Word | Root | Form | Parsing / Stem | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בְּנֵה | ב־נ־י | Imperative 2ms | Peal stem | Build! |
| אַתְקֵן | ת־ק־ן | Imperative 2ms | Aphel stem | Prepare! |
| שַׁבְעָא | ש־ב־ע | Numeral (absolute) | Singular masculine with definite sense | Seven |
| מַדְבְּחִין | ד־ב־ח | Plural noun | “Altars” (pl. of מַדְבְּחָא) | Altars |
| תוֹרִין | ת־ו־ר | Plural noun | Bulls (pl. of תּוֹרָא) | Bulls |
| דִכְרִין | ד־כ־ר | Plural noun | Rams (pl. of דִּכְרָא) | Rams |
Imperatives: Action in Two Stems
1. Peal: בְּנֵה
– The Peal stem (simple active) imperative is direct and common.
– בְּנֵה לִי uses second masculine singular with enclitic preposition לִי (“for me”).
2. Aphel: אַתְקֵן
– The Aphel stem expresses causative action: “cause to be prepared.”
– The choice of Aphel here reflects ritual intentionality, preparing sacrificial animals properly, not just acquiring them.
Numeral-Noun Syntax: Definite and Constructed
– In Targumic Aramaic, numerals like שַׁבְעָא can stand before plural nouns without article when used in liturgical or formal speech.
– שַׁבְעָא מַדְבְּחִין = “seven altars” (absolute), no article needed.
– שַׁבְעָא דִכְרִין = construct chain (“seven rams”), with דִכְרִין modifying שַׁבְעָא via construct logic.
Location and Ritual Emphasis
– The repetition of הָכָא (“here”) after both commands reinforces ritual geography: this is no generic offering — it must occur in this place.
– The symmetry between בְּנֵה לִי הָכָא and אַתְקֵן לִי הָכָא adds rhetorical weight to Bilʿam’s demands.
The Echo of Commands
This verse from Targum Onkelos subtly layers grammatical structures to convey ritual urgency. Through paired imperatives in distinct stems, symmetrical location markers, and deft construct phrasing, it dramatizes Bilʿam’s orchestration of sacrifice. Targumic syntax does more than translate — it ritualizes.
