וְהֹורִ֡דוּ זִקְנֵי֩ הָעִ֨יר הַהִ֤וא אֶת־הָֽעֶגְלָה֙ אֶל־נַ֣חַל אֵיתָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יֵעָבֵ֥ד בֹּ֖ו וְלֹ֣א יִזָּרֵ֑עַ וְעָֽרְפוּ־שָׁ֥ם אֶת־הָעֶגְלָ֖ה בַּנָּֽחַל׃
Then the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer to a valley with running water, which is neither worked nor sown, and they shall break the neck of the heifer there in the valley.
Morphology
- וְהֹורִ֡דוּ (ve-horidu) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “And they shall bring down”; Notes: The action of leading the heifer to the valley.
- זִקְנֵי֩ (ziqnei) – Root: זקן (zaqen); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “the elders of”; Notes: Refers to the leaders of the city.
- הָעִ֨יר (ha-ir) – Root: עיר (ir); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the city”; Notes: Specifies which city is responsible.
- הַהִ֤וא (ha-hi) – Root: -; Form: Demonstrative pronoun, feminine singular; Translation: “that one”; Notes: Refers specifically to the nearest city.
- אֶת־הָֽעֶגְלָה֙ (et-haʿeglah) – Root: עגל (ʿegel); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the heifer”; Notes: Refers to the designated animal for the ritual.
- אֶל־נַ֣חַל (el-naḥal) – Root: נחל (naḥal); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine singular; Translation: “to a valley”; Notes: Specifies the location.
- אֵיתָ֔ן (eitan) – Root: איתן (eitan); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “with running water”; Notes: Describes the type of valley.
- אֲשֶׁ֛ר (asher) – Root: -; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces the clause describing the valley.
- לֹא־יֵעָבֵ֥ד (lo-yeʿaved) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “is not worked”; Notes: Indicates that the land is left uncultivated.
- בֹּ֖ו (bo) – Root: -; Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in it”; Notes: Refers to the valley.
- וְלֹ֣א יִזָּרֵ֑עַ (ve-lo yizzarea) – Root: זרע (zaraʿ); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “nor sown”; Notes: Emphasizes that the valley is untouched agriculturally.
- וְעָֽרְפוּ־שָׁ֥ם (ve-ʿarfu sham) – Root: ערף (ʿaraf); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “and they shall break the neck”; Notes: Refers to the ritual killing of the heifer.
- אֶת־הָעֶגְלָ֖ה (et-haʿeglah) – Root: עגל (ʿegel); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the heifer”; Notes: Specifies the animal for the rite.
- בַּנָּֽחַל׃ (ba-naḥal) – Root: נחל (naḥal); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “in the valley”; Notes: Finalizes the location of the ritual.