וַיֵּאֹ֖תוּ הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֑ים לְבִלְתִּ֤י קְחַת־כֶּ֨סֶף֙ מֵאֵ֣ת הָעָ֔ם וּלְבִלְתִּ֥י חַזֵּ֖ק אֶת־בֶּ֥דֶק הַבָּֽיִת׃
And the priests consented not to take silver from the people, and not to repair the breach of the house.
Morphology
- וַיֵּאֹתוּ (va-yeʾotu) – Root: אות (ʾ-w-t); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they consented” or “agreed”; Notes: Describes the priests’ acceptance of the revised procedure.
- הַכֹּהֲנִים (ha-kohanim) – Root: כהן (k-h-n); Form: Definite plural noun; Translation: “the priests”; Notes: Subject of the sentence.
- לְבִלְתִּי (le-vilti) – Form: Preposition + negative infinitive marker; Translation: “not to”; Notes: Introduces a negative purpose or result clause.
- קְחַת (qéḥat) – Root: לקח (l-q-ḥ); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to take”; Notes: Object of the negative infinitive phrase.
- כֶּסֶף (kesef) – Root: כסף (k-s-p); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “silver”; Notes: Refers to monetary donations.
- מֵאֵת הָעָם (meʾet ha-ʿam) – Roots: את / עם (ʾ-t / ʿ-ʿ-m); Form: Preposition + construct + definite noun; Translation: “from the people”; Notes: The contributors to the Temple.
- וּלְבִלְתִּי (u-le-vilti) – Form: Conjunction + preposition + negative infinitive marker; Translation: “and not to”; Notes: Continues the parallel negative structure.
- חַזֵּק (ḥazzēq) – Root: חזק (ḥ-z-q); Form: Piel infinitive construct; Translation: “to repair” or “to strengthen”; Notes: Refers to the physical restoration of the Temple.
- אֶת־בֶּדֶק (et-bedeq) – Root: בֶּדֶק (b-d-q); Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the breach”; Notes: Indicates the damaged areas needing repair.
- הַבָּיִת (ha-bayit) – Root: בית (b-y-t); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the house”; Notes: Refers to the Temple of YHWH.