שָׂ֗א אֵ֣ת רֹ֤אשׁ מַלְקֹ֨וחַ֙ הַשְּׁבִ֔י בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה אַתָּה֙ וְאֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְרָאשֵׁ֖י אֲבֹ֥ות הָעֵדָֽה׃
“Take a census of the plunder of the captives, among both people and animals, you and Elʿazar the priest and the heads of the fathers’ households of the congregation.
Morphology
- שָׂ֗א (sa) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Take”; Notes: Command to conduct a census.
- אֵ֣ת (et) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: [not translated]; Notes: Indicates the direct object of the verb.
- רֹ֤אשׁ (roʾsh) – Root: ראש (roʾsh); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “Census”; Notes: Used idiomatically for taking a headcount.
- מַלְקֹ֨וחַ֙ (malkoach) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “Plunder”; Notes: Refers to the spoils of war.
- הַשְּׁבִ֔י (ha-shevi) – Root: שׁבה (shava); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “Of the captives”; Notes: Specifies the nature of the plunder.
- בָּאָדָ֖ם (ba-adam) – Root: אדם (adam); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “Among people”; Notes: Indicates human captives.
- וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה (u-va-behema) – Root: בהמה (behema); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “And animals”; Notes: Includes livestock in the census.
- אַתָּה֙ (atta) – Root: אתה (atta); Form: Pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “You”; Notes: Addressing Moshe directly.
- וְאֶלְעָזָ֣ר (ve-Elʿazar) – Root: אלעזר (Elʿazar); Form: Conjunction + proper noun; Translation: “And Elʿazar”; Notes: Refers to Elʿazar the priest.
- הַכֹּהֵ֔ן (ha-Kohen) – Root: כהן (kohen); Form: Noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “The priest”; Notes: Title of Elʿazar.
- וְרָאשֵׁ֖י (ve-rashei) – Root: ראש (roʾsh); Form: Noun masculine plural construct with conjunction; Translation: “And the heads”; Notes: Leaders of the families.
- אֲבֹ֥ות (avot) – Root: אב (ʾav); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “Of the fathers”; Notes: Refers to family heads.
- הָעֵדָֽה׃ (ha-ʿedah) – Root: עדה (ʿedah); Form: Noun feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “Of the congregation”; Notes: Refers to the assembly of Yisraʾel.