Psalm 78/Notes/Phrasal.v. 55.444873

v. 55 – We prefer to read the suffix on וַֽ֭יַּפִּילֵם as the nations of the previous clause, creating consistency also with בְּ֝אָהֳלֵיהֶ֗ם in the following clause (see the participant analysis note). Therefore, the valency of hiphil נפל with the pronominal suffix leaves room for the object complement "allot X as Y." That leaves only the constituent בְּחֶ֣בֶל "by portion," of which we read בְּ as instrumental (cf. "by the measuring line" HALOT; ). Alternatively, a number of commentators have understood the בְּ as bet essentiae (see the grammar notes), which would be most appropriate if חֶבֶל נַחֲלָה was read as a construct chain (cf. Deut 32:9; Ps 105:11 and 1 Chr 16:18).