וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית֙ בְּשַׁ֣עַר ס֔וּר וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁ֥ית בַּשַּׁ֖עַר אַחַ֣ר הָרָצִ֑ים וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֛ם אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת הַבַּ֖יִת מַסָּֽח׃
and the third part shall be at the Gate of Sur, and the third part at the gate behind the runners, and you shall guard the watch of the house alternately.
Morphology
- וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית (ve-ha-shelishit) – Root: שלשׁ (sh-l-sh); Form: Conjunction + definite ordinal feminine singular; Translation: “And the third part”; Notes: Refers to one third of the guard divisions.
- בְּשַׁעַר סוּר (be-shaʿar Sur) – Root: שער (sh-ʿ-r); Form: Preposition + construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “at the Gate of Sur”; Notes: Specific temple or palace gate.
- וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית (ve-ha-shelishit) – As above; Translation: “and the third part”; Notes: Second third of the guard divisions.
- בַּשַּׁעַר אַחַר הָרָצִים (ba-shaʿar aḥar ha-ratsim) – Root: שער / אחר / רץ (sh-ʿ-r / ʾ-ḥ-r / r-ts); Form: Preposition + definite noun + preposition + plural participle; Translation: “at the gate behind the runners”; Notes: A gate behind the royal guard or escort group.
- וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם (u-shemartem) – Root: שׁמר (sh-m-r); Form: Conjunction + Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and you shall guard”; Notes: Instruction to the captains regarding temple security.
- אֶת־מִשְׁמֶרֶת (et-mishmeret) – Root: שׁמר (sh-m-r); Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine singular; Translation: “the guard” or “the watch”; Notes: Refers to official duty of guarding sacred or royal space.
- הַבַּיִת (ha-bayit) – Root: בית (b-y-t); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the house”; Notes: Likely the temple or the royal residence in this context.
- מַסָּח (massakh) – Root: סוח (s-w-ḥ) or borrowed; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “alternately” or “by turns”; Notes: Indicates rotation or organized shift for the watch.