כִּֽי־תִהְיֶ֨יןָ לְאִ֜ישׁ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֗ים הָאַחַ֤ת אֲהוּבָה֙ וְהָאַחַ֣ת שְׂנוּאָ֔ה וְיָֽלְדוּ־לֹ֣ו בָנִ֔ים הָאֲהוּבָ֖ה וְהַשְּׂנוּאָ֑ה וְהָיָ֛ה הַבֵּ֥ן הַבְּכֹ֖ור לַשְּׂנִיאָֽה׃
If a man has two wives, one loved and one unloved, and they bear him sons, both the loved and the unloved, and the firstborn son belongs to the unloved wife.
Morphology
- כִּֽי־תִהְיֶ֨יןָ (ki-tihyenah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine plural; Translation: “If there shall be”; Notes: Conditional clause introducing a legal case.
- לְאִ֜ישׁ (le-ish) – Root: איש (ish); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “for a man”; Notes: Identifies the subject.
- שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֗ים (shtei nashim) – Root: שנים (shenayim) + אשה (ishah); Form: Noun, feminine dual construct; Translation: “two wives”; Notes: Indicates polygamy.
- הָאַחַ֤ת אֲהוּבָה֙ (ha-aḥat ahuvah) – Root: אחד (eḥad) + אהב (ahav); Form: Adjective, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “one loved”; Notes: Describes emotional preference.
- וְהָאַחַ֣ת שְׂנוּאָ֔ה (ve-ha-aḥat senu’ah) – Root: שנא (sane); Form: Adjective, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “and one unloved”; Notes: Contrasts affection between wives.
- וְיָֽלְדוּ־לֹ֣ו (ve-yaldu-lo) – Root: ילד (yalad); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “and they bear him”; Notes: Describes the offspring.
- בָנִ֔ים (banim) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Plural emphasizes multiple children.
- הָאֲהוּבָ֖ה (ha-ahuvah) – Root: אהב (ahav); Form: Passive participle, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “the loved”; Notes: Corresponds to the favored wife.
- וְהַשְּׂנוּאָ֑ה (ve-ha-senu’ah) – Root: שנא (sane); Form: Passive participle, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “and the unloved”; Notes: Parallel contrast.
- וְהָיָ֛ה (ve-hayah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and it shall be”; Notes: Introduces the result of the condition.
- הַבֵּ֥ן הַבְּכֹ֖ור (ha-ben ha-bekhor) – Root: בן (ben) + בכור (bekhor); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “the firstborn son”; Notes: Legal status as the firstborn.
- לַשְּׂנִיאָֽה (la-seni’ah) – Root: שנא (sane); Form: Adjective, feminine singular with preposition; Translation: “to the unloved”; Notes: Establishes the legal heir’s mother.