וַיִּקַּ֣ח רַב־טַבָּחִ֗ים אֶת־שְׂרָיָה֙ כֹּהֵ֣ן הָרֹ֔אשׁ וְאֶת־צְפַנְיָ֖הוּ כֹּהֵ֣ן מִשְׁנֶ֑ה וְאֶת־שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת שֹׁמְרֵ֥י הַסַּֽף׃
And the Chief of the Executioners took Seraya the chief priest, and Tsefanyahu the second priest, and the three doorkeepers.
Morphology
- וַיִּקַּח (va-yiqqaḥ) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he took”; Notes: Refers to the act of seizing individuals.
- רַב־טַבָּחִים (rav-tabbaḥim) – Root: רב + טבח (ṭavaḥ); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “Chief of the Executioners”; Notes: Title of Nevuzarʾadan, Babylonian officer.
- אֶת־שְׂרָיָה (et-Serayah) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Direct object marker + proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “Serayah”; Notes: Identified as the high priest.
- כֹּהֵן (kohen) – Root: כהן (k-h-n); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “priest”; Notes: Religious office in Israelite worship.
- הָרֹאשׁ (ha-roʾsh) – Root: ראשׁ (roʾsh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the chief”; Notes: Indicates his rank as the high priest.
- וְאֶת־צְפַנְיָהוּ (ve-et-Tsephanyahu) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “and Tsephanyahu”; Notes: Another priestly figure, subordinate to Serayah.
- כֹּהֵן (kohen) – Root: כהן (k-h-n); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “priest”; Notes: His role in the Temple is affirmed here.
- מִשְׁנֶה (mishneh) – Root: שׁנה (sh-n-h); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “second”; Notes: Deputy or second-in-rank priest.
- וְאֶת־שְׁלֹשֶׁת (ve-et-sheloshet) – Root: שלש (sh-l-sh); Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + construct numeral masculine plural; Translation: “and the three of”; Notes: Introduces the final group taken.
- שֹׁמְרֵי (shomrei) – Root: שׁמר (sh-m-r); Form: Construct plural participle masculine; Translation: “keepers of”; Notes: Denotes guardians or custodians.
- הַסַּף (ha-saf) – Root: סף (s-s-p); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the threshold” or “the gate”; Notes: Refers to Temple doorkeepers or gatekeepers.