וְהִקְרִיתֶ֤ם לָכֶם֙ עָרִ֔ים עָרֵ֥י מִקְלָ֖ט תִּהְיֶ֣ינָה לָכֶ֑ם וְנָ֥ס שָׁ֨מָּה֙ רֹצֵ֔חַ מַכֵּה־נֶ֖פֶשׁ בִּשְׁגָגָֽה׃
then you shall designate cities for yourselves, cities of refuge they shall be for you, so that the manslayer who strikes a person unintentionally may flee there.
Morphology
- וְהִקְרִיתֶ֤ם (ve-hikritem) – Root: קרה (qrʾ); Form: Hifil perfect 2nd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “You shall designate”; Notes: Command to appoint specific places.
- לָכֶם֙ (lakhem) – Root: לכם (lkm); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “for yourselves”; Notes: Specifies the beneficiaries.
- עָרִ֔ים (ʿarim) – Root: עיר (ʿyr); Form: Noun, feminine plural; Translation: “cities”; Notes: Refers to the designated locations.
- עָרֵ֥י (ʿarei) – Root: עיר (ʿyr); Form: Noun, feminine plural construct; Translation: “cities of”; Notes: Links to the following noun.
- מִקְלָ֖ט (miqlat) – Root: קלט (qlṭ); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “refuge”; Notes: Indicates safety or protection.
- תִּהְיֶ֣ינָה (tihyena) – Root: היה (hyh); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine plural; Translation: “they shall be”; Notes: Refers to the cities as subjects.
- לָכֶ֑ם (lakhem) – Root: לכם (lkm); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “for you”; Notes: Indicates the purpose of the cities for the people.
- וְנָ֥ס (ve-nas) – Root: נוס (nws); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “so that may flee”; Notes: Expresses a purpose.
- שָׁ֨מָּה֙ (shammah) – Root: שׁם (shm); Form: Adverb; Translation: “there”; Notes: Indicates the destination.
- רֹצֵ֔חַ (rotseach) – Root: רצח (rṣḥ); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “manslayer”; Notes: Refers to one who unintentionally kills another.
- מַכֵּה (makkeh) – Root: נכה (nkh); Form: Hifil participle masculine singular; Translation: “who strikes”; Notes: Describes the action of the manslayer.
- נֶ֖פֶשׁ (nefesh) – Root: נפש (npsh); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “a person”; Notes: Refers to the life or soul.
- בִּשְׁגָגָֽה׃ (bishgagah) – Root: שׁגה (shgʾ); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “unintentionally”; Notes: Indicates the lack of intent in the action.