זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֞ר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה יְהוָ֗ה לִבְנֹ֤ות צְלָפְחָד֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לַטֹּ֥וב בְּעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם תִּהְיֶ֣ינָה לְנָשִׁ֑ים אַ֗ךְ לְמִשְׁפַּ֛חַת מַטֵּ֥ה אֲבִיהֶ֖ם תִּהְיֶ֥ינָה לְנָשִֽׁים׃
This is the thing which YHWH has commanded concerning the daughters of Tselofḥad, saying, ‘Let them marry whomever is good in their eyes, but only within the family of the tribe of their father.’
Morphology
- זֶ֣ה (zeh) – Root: זה (zh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “This”; Notes: Points to a specific matter.
- הַדָּבָ֞ר (haddavar) – Root: דבר (dbr); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the thing”; Notes: Refers to a command or statement.
- אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה (ʾasher-tsivvah) – Root: צוה (tsvh); Form: Relative pronoun with Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “which He commanded”; Notes: Links the statement to the divine command.
- יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hwh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the covenantal name of God.
- לִבְנֹ֤ות (livnot) – Root: בן (bn); Form: Prepositional phrase with noun, feminine plural construct; Translation: “concerning the daughters of”; Notes: Indicates the subject of the command.
- צְלָפְחָד֙ (Tselofḥad) – Root: צלף (tslp) + חד (ḥd); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Tselofḥad”; Notes: Refers to a specific individual.
- לֵאמֹ֔ר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾmr); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- לַטֹּ֥וב (latov) – Root: טוב (ṭvb); Form: Prepositional phrase; Translation: “to the good”; Notes: Indicates preference or choice.
- בְּעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם (beʿeinehem) – Root: עין (ʿyn); Form: Noun, dual with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “in their eyes”; Notes: Refers to personal judgment or approval.
- תִּהְיֶ֣ינָה (tihyenah) – Root: היה (hyh); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine plural; Translation: “let them be”; Notes: Expresses a future or desired state.
- לְנָשִׁ֑ים (lenashim) – Root: אשה (ʾšh); Form: Prepositional phrase with noun, feminine plural; Translation: “as wives”; Notes: Refers to marital status.
- אַ֗ךְ (ʾakh) – Root: אך (ʾkh); Form: Adverb; Translation: “but”; Notes: Indicates restriction or exception.
- לְמִשְׁפַּ֛חַת (lemishpaḥat) – Root: שׁפח (špḥ); Form: Prepositional phrase with noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “to the family of”; Notes: Specifies kinship.
- מַטֵּ֥ה (matteh) – Root: מטה (mṭh); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “the tribe of”; Notes: Refers to a division of the tribes of Yisra’el.
- אֲבִיהֶ֖ם (avihem) – Root: אב (ʾv); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their father”; Notes: Refers to their paternal lineage.
- תִּהְיֶ֥ינָה (tihyenah) – Root: היה (hyh); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine plural; Translation: “let them be”; Notes: Indicates a directive.
- לְנָשִֽׁים׃ (lenashim) – Root: אשה (ʾšh); Form: Prepositional phrase with noun, feminine plural; Translation: “as wives”; Notes: Concludes the directive.