אַ֗ךְ לֹ֤א יַֽעֲלוּ֙ כֹּהֲנֵ֣י הַבָּמֹ֔ות אֶל־מִזְבַּ֥ח יְהוָ֖ה בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם כִּ֛י אִם־אָכְל֥וּ מַצֹּ֖ות בְּתֹ֥וךְ אֲחֵיהֶֽם׃
However, the priests of the high places did not go up to the altar of YHWH in Yerushalayim, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers.
Morphology
- אַ֗ךְ (ʾakh) – Root: אך; Form: Adverb/conjunction; Translation: “However”; Notes: Introduces a limitation or exception.
- לֹ֤א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Used to negate the verb that follows.
- יַֽעֲלוּ֙ (yaʿalu) – Root: עלה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they will go up” / “did go up”; Notes: Here likely denotes habitual or allowed action in the narrative past context.
- כֹּהֲנֵ֣י הַבָּמֹ֔ות (kohanei ha-bamot) – Root: כהן, במה; Form: Construct plural + definite plural noun; Translation: “the priests of the high places”; Notes: Illegitimate priests from local shrines.
- אֶל־מִזְבַּ֥ח יְהוָ֖ה (el-mizbeaḥ YHWH) – Root: זבח; Form: Preposition + construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “to the altar of YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the central altar in the Temple at Yerushalayim.
- בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם (bi-Yerushalayim) – Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “in Yerushalayim”; Notes: Designated central place for worship.
- כִּ֛י אִם־ (ki im) – Root: כי, אם; Form: Conjunction + conditional particle; Translation: “but”; Notes: Introduces the exception to the prohibition.
- אָכְל֥וּ (akhelu) – Root: אכל; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they ate”; Notes: Permitted function of non-Levitical priests.
- מַצֹּ֖ות (matzot) – Root: מצה; Form: Feminine plural noun; Translation: “unleavened bread”; Notes: Symbolic of ritual food allowed to them.
- בְּתֹ֥וךְ (be-tokh) – Root: תוך; Form: Preposition + masculine singular noun in construct; Translation: “among”; Notes: Indicates spatial or social inclusion.
- אֲחֵיהֶֽם (aḥeihem) – Root: אח; Form: Masculine plural noun + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their brothers”; Notes: Refers to their fellow priests, likely the Levitical ones.