Numbers 10:4

Paleo Hebrew Niqqud

RBT Hebrew Interlinear:

ואם וְאִם־

and if

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wə

Definition

and

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

The conjunctive ו is not merely a fixed coordinator with a stable semantic value (“and/but/or/then”). Its core function is linkage, not meaning. It binds units into a single discourse field—phrases, clauses, or whole scenes—while leaving the logical relation to be inferred from aspect, word order, genre, and context.

So the variability in translation (“and / but / or / even / then”) is not polyvalence in the particle; it is underspecification by design. The language expects the reader/hearer to perceive the relation rather than have it encoded.

Crucially, conjunctive ו does not imply temporal sequence. It implies continuity of attention. Think of it as:
- “this belongs with what precedes,”
- “remain within the same frame,”
“do not reset the discourse.”
This is why Hebrew can chain dozens of clauses with ו without subordination or explicit logic markers. The text advances by accumulation, not by branching syntactic trees. Meaning arises from the interaction:
- Aspect (qatal / yiqtol / participle),
- Position (fronted elements, resumptive nouns),
- Genre (law, narrative, oracle),
- Context (who speaks, to whom).
The ו simply keeps the circuit closed so these cues can operate together. Remove tense assumptions, and the system becomes coherent.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

אם

ʼim

Definition

used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not

Root

a primitive particle;

Exhaustive

a primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not; (and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), though, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] unless, [phrase] verily, when, whereas, whether, while, [phrase] yet.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H518

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

אִם

conjunction • Strongs_Numbers • Page 146

If; a conditional conjunction.

אִם

conjunction • Strongs_Numbers • Page 147

Conditional particle corresponding to 'if', 'whether', or 'although'. It is used with perfect and imperfect tenses to express conditions, repeated acts, or permanent states. In formulas of swearing (oaths), it implies a negative ('surely not'). It can also introduce a question.

אִם

conj. / particle • Strongs_Numbers • Page 148

Conditional particle indicating 'if', 'whether', 'either...or'; also used as a particle of time: 'when', 'since'; a particle of wishing: 'oh if!', 'would that!'; and sometimes as an exclamation: 'behold!', 'lo!'.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

אִם

primitive particle • Page 54

1. adv. of time, when; referring either to time past, like the Germ. da, als, Am. 7: 2 when they had en-

אִם

conj. / adv. / interrog. particle • Page 55

A conditional and interrogative particle with multiple senses: 2. if, supposing that; 3. although (Judg. 13:16); 4. O that (Gen. 30:27); 5. whether... or (Ex. 19:13); 6. in swearing (not, that not; 2 Sam. 11:11); 7. perhaps that (Gen. 31:52); 8. interrogative (Jer. 3:5); 11. whether...not (Est. 4:14); 13. (אם-לא) if not, but (Gen. 24:58).

Conjunction, Particle

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0518a:

No stats available

באחת בְּאַחַת

in the hand

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ב

bə

Definition

in, by

Root

A primitive particle; a prefix

Exhaustive

(beth) — in / within / by means of

Core value: interiority, enclosure, participation

ב does not primarily mean “in time” (“when”) or even “in space.” It marks being inside a domain, whether that domain is:
- spatial (house, land),
- conceptual (wisdom, covenant),
- modal (strength, fear),
- instrumental (by means of).
Aonically, ב marks immersion.
not “when X happened” but “within the state or field of X.”
This is why ב־יום does not need to mean “on the day (chronological)” but “within the day-realm / condition”.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

אחד

ʼechâd

Definition

properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first

Root

a numeral from H258 (אחד);

Exhaustive

a numeral from אחד; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first; a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H259

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

אֶחָד

numeral cardinal • Root אחד • Strongs_Numbers • Page 95

One; unus; first (primus).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

אֶחָד

m. const. • Page 37

1. one; freq. 2. first. Only in numbering the days of the month. (feminine form is אַחַת).

Preposition, Adjective cardinal number feminine singular absolute

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0259:

No stats available

יתקעו יִתְקָעוּ

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

תקע

tâqaʻ

Definition

to clatter, i.e. slap (the hands together), clang (an instrument); by analogy, to drive (a nail or tent-pin, a dart, etc.); by implication, to become bondsman by handclasping)

Root

a primitive root;

Exhaustive

a primitive root; to clatter, i.e. slap (the hands together), clang (an instrument); by analogy, to drive (a nail or tent-pin, a dart, etc.); by implication, to become bondsman by handclasping); blow (a trumpet), cast, clap, fasten, pitch (tent), smite, sound, strike, [idiom] suretiship, thrust.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H8628

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

תָּקַע

verb • Root תקע • Consonantal / Low • Page 1530

1. to stick into, to strike into, יָתֵד. 2. to strike by driving; to fasten, to fix. 3. to thrust forcibly, to cast. 4. to pitch a tent.

Matched via prefix/suffix stripped stem

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

תֵּקַע

noun masculine • Root תקע • Page 726

A blowing with the trumpet. Citations: Ps. 150: 3.

תָּקַע

verb • Page 725

1. To strike, smite, clap (with the hand), as a sign of joy (Ps. 47: 2) or scorn (Nah. 3: 19). 2. To smite or drive in, e. g. a nail. Judg. 4: 21. 3. To thrust in, e. g. a spear. Judg. 3: 21. 4. To blow with a trumpet. Num. 10: 3, 4, 8.

Verb Qal imperfect third person masculine plural

LXX: ἐσάλπισαν σαλπίσατε ἐσάλπισεν σαλπιεῖτε σαλπιοῦσιν

LXX Usage Statistics

H8628:

ἐσάλπισαν 8× (10.8%)

σαλπίσατε 7× (10.4%)

ἐσάλπισεν 7× (9.0%)

σαλπιεῖτε 5× (6.9%)

σαλπιοῦσιν 3× (4.5%)

σημάνατε 2× (3.0%)

--- 2× (3.0%)

ἔπηξεν 2× (3.0%)

ἐνέπηξεν 2× (2.6%)

σαλπίζων 2× (2.3%)

ונועדו וְנוֹעֲדוּ

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wāw

Definition

sequential 'and'

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

Vav Conversive/Consecutive: The category “vav conversive / vav consecutive” is not an ancient grammatical datum; it is a modern explanatory construct, developed by early Hebraists to force Biblical Hebrew into a Latin/chronological tense model that it simply does not share.

The notion arose in early modern grammar (17th–19th c.) when scholars assumed:
- verbs must encode tense,
- narratives must advance by past → present → future,
- therefore Hebrew forms that “don’t behave” must be converted.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

יעד

yâʻad

Definition

to fix upon (by agreement or appointment); by implication, to meet (at a stated time), to summon (to trial), to direct (in a certain quarter or position), to engage (for marriage)

Root

a primitive root;

Exhaustive

a primitive root; to fix upon (by agreement or appointment); by implication, to meet (at a stated time), to summon (to trial), to direct (in a certain quarter or position), to engage (for marriage); agree,(maxke an) appoint(-ment, a time), assemble (selves), betroth, gather (selves, together), meet (together), set (a time).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3259

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

יָעַד

verb • Root יעד • Strongs / High • Page 622

I. To appoint, to fix (a place or time); to order; to cite (before a tribunal); to promise, determine beforehand.

יָעַד

verb • Root יעד • Strongs / High • Page 622

II. To bring together, to collect, congregate; to bind, unite. Figuratively, to marry; to agree, concert; to meet.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

יָעַד

verb • Page 289

1. to fix, appoint (a time or place). 2. to appoint a punishment, to threaten. 3. to appoint for a wife or concubine, to betroth. Niph.: reflexively, to come to an agreed place; reciprocally, to agree upon a meeting place; generally, to come together. Hiph.: to appoint for trial.

conjunctive, Verb Niphal sequential perfect third person common plural

LXX: γνωσθήσομαί --- ἀντιστήσεταί συναχθῶμεν

LXX Usage Statistics

H3259:

γνωσθήσομαί 5× (17.8%)

--- 2× (7.4%)

ἀντιστήσεταί 2× (7.4%)

συναχθῶμεν 2× (6.8%)

אליך אֵלֶיךָ

toward yourself

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

אל

ʼêl

Definition

near, with or among; often in general, to

Root

(but only used in the shortened constructive form אל ); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e.

Exhaustive

(but only used in the shortened constructive form אל ); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e.; near, with or among; often in general, to; about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H413

ך

Definition

you, personal pronoun - verb/prep. 2nd person masculine singular

Root

Exhaustive

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine singular

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H9031

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

אֵל

pronominal stem • Strongs_Numbers • Page 127

Aramaic demonstrative pronoun, same as Hebrew II. in a variety of senses.

אֵל

noun masculine • Strongs_Numbers • Page 127

God (used in proper names like טָבְאֵל).

אֵל

noun • Strongs_Numbers • Page 127

Used as a groundform for אַלִי.

אֵל

pronoun demonstrative • Root אלה • Strongs_Numbers • Page 129

Pronominal stem abridged from 'ela, a demonstrative vocable. Demonstrative pronoun plural 'these'. A stronger form than 'ela, namely 'elle. Often found with the article הָאֵל (these).

אֵל

pronoun • Root אלה • Strongs_Numbers • Page 129

Aramaic equivalent to the Hebrew אֵל II. Found only in Ezr. 5, 15 K'ri, for which the K'tib has אֵלֶּה synonymous with the Targumic אִלֵּךְ.

אֵל

noun masculine • Root איל אול • Strongs_Numbers • Page 129

A very old Semitic name of the highest deity, which already appears in the pre-historic period: God. Stands both for the God of the Hebrews (Jehovah), gods of another nation, or idols. Also means 'strong' or 'mighty'.

אֵל

noun masculine • Strongs_Numbers • Page 130

God, Deity; applied to the true God, pagan gods, or in proper names. Also denotes strength, might, or power (e.g., in the phrase 'it is in the power of my hand').

אֵל

pronom. stem • Strongs_Numbers • Page 131

Collateral form of pronoun demonstrative אֵל (these).

אֵל

pronom. stem • Strongs_Numbers • Page 131

Construct of אֶל I. (preposition 'to', 'towards').

אֵל

abbreviation • Strongs_Numbers • Page 131

An abbreviation of God in proper names, e.g. אֶלְעָלָא, אֶלְזָבָד.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

אֶל

chald. • Page 49

Chald. idem. [to Hebrew אַל]. Dan. 2: 24.

אֶל

preposition • Page 50

Primary preposition meaning: 1. to (sign of the dative); 2. towards, even to (Num. 24:1); 3. at, on, near (1 K. 13:20); 4. about, concerning (Gen. 20:2); 5. in, into (Gen. 8:9); 6. among (1 Sam. 10:22); 7. through (Ezek. 44:7); 8. for, on account of (1 K. 14:5); 9. in combination with other prepositions implies direction.

אֵל

m. verbal / dec. i. a. • Root אול • Page 49

1. strong, mighty (Ezek. 31:11). 2. strength, power (Gen. 31:29; Prov. 3:27). 3. most frequently God, applied both to Jehovah and heathen gods (Is. 44:10).

אֵל

pronoun • Page 49

pronoun plural; i. q. אֵלֶּה [these]. Also appears in the form הָאֵל.

אֵל

chald. • Page 50

Chald. idem. Ezra 5:15 Keri.

Preposition Suffix pronominal second person masculine singular

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0413:

No stats available

הנשיאים הָנְּשִׂיאִים

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ה

Definition

the

Root

Demonstrative primitive

Exhaustive

definite article, the, used for all numbers and genders; originally a pronoun demonstrative, this. interrogative particle in direct and indirect questions; in disjunctive questions: whether--or.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

נשיא

nâsîyʼ

Definition

properly, an exalted one, i.e. a king or sheik; also a rising mist

Root

or נשא; from H5375 (נשא);

Exhaustive

or נשא; from נשא; properly, an exalted one, i.e. a king or sheik; also a rising mist; captain, chief, cloud, governor, prince, ruler, vapour.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H5387

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

נָשִׂיא

noun masculine • Root נשא • Strongs / High • Page 995

1. an exalted, distinguished one, hence a prince, applied to kings, heads or princes of tribes, heads of families, generals. 2. one bearing, a bearer. 3. (only pl.) ascending vapour, a cloud.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

נָשִׂיא

noun masculine • Root נשא • Page 460

m. strictly part. pass. from נָשָׂא. 1. a prince. 1 K. 11: 34. Ezek. 12 : 10. Num. 7: 11 ff. 2. plur. נְשִׂיאִים vapours, which form clouds. Jer. 10 : 13. 51: 16. Ps. 135: 7. Prov. 25: 14.

Particle definite article, Noun common masculine plural absolute

LXX: ἄρχων ἄρχοντεσ ἀρχόντων ἀφηγούμενοσ ἄρχοντα

LXX Usage Statistics

H5387a:

ἄρχων 47× (35.2%)

ἄρχοντεσ 21× (14.9%)

ἀρχόντων 10× (7.5%)

ἀφηγούμενοσ 7× (4.9%)

ἄρχοντα 6× (4.8%)

νεφέλασ 3× (2.5%)

--- 3× (2.5%)

ἄρχοντι 3× (2.3%)

ἀφηγούμενοι 3× (2.2%)

ἄρχοντασ 3× (2.2%)

ראשי רָאשֵׁי

my head/heads

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ראש

rôʼsh

Definition

the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)

Root

from an unused root apparently meaning to shake;

Exhaustive

from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.); band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H7218

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

רֹאשׁ

noun • Strongs / High • Page 1330

Poppy (reference to DEUT. 32, 32).

רֹאשׁ

noun / masculine • Root ראש • Strongs / High • Page 1311

1. Prop. skull; hence head, of men or animals. 2. Metaphor of things: the point, summit, capital, scepter, the highest. Fig. principal, highest (as of oil or feelings), a prince, king, principal person. The sum, total, multitude. The foremost, first, beginning.

רֹאשׁ

noun masculine • Root ראש • Strongs / High • Page 1312

1. Source of a river; beginning, commencement (of time). 2. Poison (רוֹשׁ), poisonous berries/water; fig. viciousness.

רֹאשׁ

noun proper • Strongs / High • Page 1312

n. p. of a people (Rosh) belonging to the Scythian king Gog, dwelling in the high north (identified by some classical writers with Russians/Roxolani).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

רָאשׁ

adjective • Page 602

poor. See רוּשׁ.

רֹאשׁ

noun masculine • Root ראש ראש • Page 603

1. a head. —נָתַן בְּרֹאשׁ to let come on the head of any one, Ezek. 9: 10, 11: 21. בְּרֵאשֵׁינוּ with the danger of our heads, 1 Chr. 12: 19. 2. the first or highest in its kind. Hence (1.) a head, chief, leader (1 Sam. 15: 17, Ex. 6: 14, 25). (2.) a chief city, metropolis (Josh. 11: 10). (3.) the highest place, first rank—כֹּהֵן הָרֹאשׁ the high-priest (2 Chr. 19: 11). (4.) the top or highest part, as of a mountain (Gen. 8: 5), of a tower (Gen. 11: 4). Metaphorically רֹאשׁ שִׂמְחָה the highest joy (Ps. 137: 6). 3. the first; e. g. רֹאשׁ הַחֳדָשִׁים the first month (Ex. 12: 2). 4. the sum, the whole number (Lev. 5: 24, Ps. 119: 160). 5. a company, multitude, host (Judg. 7: 16, 1 Sam. 11: 11).

רֹאשׁ

prop. er name • Page 603

Proper name of a Scythian people, mentioned in connexion with Meshech and Tubal, in the northern parts of Asia Minor (Ezek. 38: 2, 3. 39: 1). The Byzantine writers speak of a rude and savage people about the northern Taurus, called Pōs, (Russians?).

Noun common masculine plural construct

LXX: κεφαλὴν κεφαλῆσ ἄρχοντεσ κεφαλήν κεφαλὰσ

LXX Usage Statistics

H7218a:

κεφαλὴν 123× (18.7%)

κεφαλῆσ 55× (8.5%)

ἄρχοντεσ 50× (8.4%)

κεφαλήν 34× (5.2%)

κεφαλὰσ 29× (4.4%)

ἄρχων 21× (3.4%)

κεφαλὴ 19× (2.8%)

ἀρχῆσ 15× (2.3%)

κορυφῆσ 14× (2.0%)

κορυφὴν 13× (2.0%)

אלפי אַלְפֵי

learners/thousands/families

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

אלף

ʼeleph

Definition

hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand

Root

prop, the same as H504 (אלף);

Exhaustive

prop, the same as אלף; hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand; thousand.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H505

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

אֶלֶף

noun masculine • Strongs_Numbers • Page 143

Oxen, heifers, cattle for the yoke; tame house-animals; the name of the first letter of the alphabet.

אֶלֶף

numeral / noun masculine • Root אלף • Strongs_Numbers • Page 144

As a numeral, a thousand; properly the union of many individuals, a mass; then fixed to a definite number.

אֶלֶף

noun masculine • Root אלף • Strongs_Numbers • Page 144

Properly a union of family members, therefore association of the members of a family or tribe, larger communities into which every race was divided; a smaller division of a tribe or race.

אֶלֶף

noun proper • Root אלף • Strongs_Numbers • Page 144

A city in Benjamin's territory (Josh. 18, 28).

אֶלֶף

unknown • Strongs_Numbers • Page 145

see אַלּוּף

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

אֶלֶף

masc. epicene / dec. vi. b. • Root אלף • Page 54

I. ox, animal of the ox kind. Deut. 7: 13. 28: 4. Ps. 8: 8. Perhaps denoting literally tame cattle.

אֶלֶף

m. prim. dec. vi. b. • Page 54

II. 1. thousand. Dual אַלְפַּיִם. Plur. אֲלָפִים. 2. family, subdivision of a tribe, originally of a thousand, i. q. מִשְׁפָּחָה. Judg. 6: 15. 1 Sam. 10: 19. 23: 23.

Noun common masculine plural construct

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0505:

No stats available

ישראל יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

God-Contends

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ישראל

Yisrâʼêl

Definition

Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

Root

from H8280 (שרה) and H410 (אל); he will rule as God;

Exhaustive

from שרה and אל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3478

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

יִשְׂרָאֵל

noun proper masculine • Root שרה • Strongs / High • Page 662

A proper name with multiple meanings: the patriarch Jacob; the Israelite people; an honorary title for the pious; the northern kingdom of Israel; the whole kingdom after the exile.

יִשְׂרָאֵל

noun proper masculine • Root ישר • Strongs / High • Page 662

A proper name, meaning 'El is a true, honest one.' Described as a ground-form to יְשַׂרְאֵלָה.

Noun proper name

LXX: ισραηλ '' --- ιακωβ

LXX Usage Statistics

H3478:

ισραηλ 2245× (92.9%)

'' 57× (2.1%)

--- 50× (2.2%)

ισραηλ 8× (0.3%)

ιακωβ 4× (0.2%)

t? 4× (0.1%)

ιερουσαλημ 4× (0.2%)

[b] 3× (0.1%)

ισραηλίτου 3× (0.1%)

ισραηλίτιδοσ 3× (0.1%)

RBT Translation:

No verse found

RBT Paraphrase:
No verse found

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
And if they shall sound with one, and to thee assembled the chiefs of the heads of the thousands of Israel.

LITV Translation:
And if they blow with one, then the rulers, the heads of the thousands of Israel, shall assemble to you.

Brenton Septuagint Translation:
And if they shall sound with one, all the rulers even the princes of Israel shall come to thee.