וַיְצַוֵּ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר זֶ֥ה הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּעֲשׂ֑וּן הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֤ית מִכֶּם֙ בָּאֵ֣י הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת וְשֹׁ֣מְרֵ֔י מִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
And he commanded them, saying, “This is the thing that you shall do: one third of you, those coming in on the Sabbath, and the guards of the watch of the house of the king
Morphology
- וַיְצַוֵּם (va-yetsavvem) – Root: צוה (ts-w-h); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person plural suffix; Translation: “And he commanded them”; Notes: Refers to Yehoyadaʿ issuing orders to the captains and guards.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the content of the command.
- זֶה הַדָּבָר (zeh ha-davar) – Root: דבר (d-v-r); Form: Demonstrative + definite noun; Translation: “This is the thing”; Notes: Emphatic introduction to the instruction.
- אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשׂוּן (ʾasher taʿasun) – Root: עשה (ʿ-s-h); Form: Relative pronoun + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “that you shall do”; Notes: Directs the recipients to act.
- הַשְּׁלִשִׁית מִכֶּם (ha-shelishit mikkem) – Root: שלשׁ (sh-l-sh); Form: Definite ordinal feminine singular + preposition + 2nd person plural suffix; Translation: “the third part of you”; Notes: One-third division of the guard force.
- בָּאֵי הַשַּׁבָּת (baʾei ha-Shabbat) – Root: בוא (b-w-ʾ); Form: Participle masculine plural + definite noun; Translation: “those coming in on the Sabbath”; Notes: Refers to new guard shift entering temple duty.
- וְשֹׁמְרֵי מִשְׁמֶרֶת (ve-shomrei mishmeret) – Root: שׁמר (sh-m-r); Form: Construct plural participle + construct noun; Translation: “and the keepers of the watch”; Notes: Describes their official role in protecting the temple and king.
- בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ (beit ha-melekh) – Root: בית / מלך (b-y-t / m-l-k); Form: Construct noun + definite noun; Translation: “the house of the king”; Notes: Refers to the royal palace or royal compound within the temple area.