וַיְצַ֤ו הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר עֲשׂ֣וּ פֶ֔סַח לַֽיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם כַּכָּת֕וּב עַ֛ל סֵ֥פֶר הַבְּרִ֖ית הַזֶּֽה׃
And the king commanded all the people, saying, “Keep a Pesaḥ to YHWH your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant.”
Morphology
- וַיְצַ֤ו (va-yetsav) – Root: צוה; Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he commanded”; Notes: Expresses a formal decree from the king.
- הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers here to King Yoshiyahu.
- אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֣ם (et-kol-ha-ʿam) – Root: עם; Form: Direct object marker + universal quantifier + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “all the people”; Notes: The nation of Yehudah under royal instruction.
- לֵאמֹ֔ר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the king’s quoted command.
- עֲשׂ֣וּ (ʿasu) – Root: עשה; Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Do” / “Keep”; Notes: Direct imperative to the people.
- פֶ֔סַח (Pesaḥ) – Root: פסח; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “Pesaḥ”; Notes: Refers to the festival of unleavened bread and lamb sacrifice in remembrance of the Exodus.
- לַֽיהוָ֖ה (la-YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Preposition + divine name; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: Marks YHWH as the recipient of the feast.
- אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם (Eloheikhem) – Root: אלה; Form: Noun masculine plural + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Covenantally identifying YHWH with the people.
- כַּכָּת֕וּב (ka-katuv) – Root: כתב; Form: Pual participle masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “as it is written”; Notes: Emphasizes obedience to the textual law.
- עַ֛ל (ʿal) – Form: Preposition; Translation: “upon” / “in regard to”; Notes: Introduces the source of authority.
- סֵ֥פֶר (sefer) – Root: ספר; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “book”; Notes: Likely refers to a scroll found during temple renovations.
- הַבְּרִ֖ית (ha-berit) – Root: ברית; Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the covenant”; Notes: Refers to the Mosaic covenant between YHWH and Yisraʾel.
- הַזֶּֽה (ha-zeh) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative adjective masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Modifies “book” for specificity.