דַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר תְּנ֤וּ לָכֶם֙ אֶת־עָרֵ֣י הַמִּקְלָ֔ט אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה׃
“Speak to the sons of Yisra’el, saying, ‘Set aside for yourselves the cities of refuge, which I spoke to you through Moshe,
Morphology
- דַּבֵּ֛ר (dabber) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Speak”; Notes: A direct command in the intensive Piel form.
- אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י (el-benei) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “to the sons of”; Notes: Refers to the children or descendants of Yisra’el.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (Yisra’el) – Root: ישראל (Yisra’el); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisra’el”; Notes: The nation of Yisra’el.
- לֵאמֹ֑ר (lemor) – Root: אמר (amar); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- תְּנ֤וּ (tenu) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Give” / “Set aside”; Notes: A command addressed to the people.
- לָכֶם֙ (lachem) – Root: לכם (lachem); Form: Preposition + second-person masculine plural pronoun; Translation: “for yourselves”; Notes: Indicates personal responsibility.
- אֶת־עָרֵ֣י (et-arei) – Root: עיר (ir); Form: Definite direct object marker + noun, feminine plural construct; Translation: “the cities of”; Notes: Indicates the object of the command.
- הַמִּקְלָ֔ט (ha-miklat) – Root: קלוט (klṭ); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “refuge”; Notes: Refers to designated places for those seeking asylum from avengers.
- אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי (asher-dibbarti) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Relative pronoun + Piel perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “which I spoke”; Notes: The Piel form intensifies the verb.
- אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם (aleichem) – Root: אל (el); Form: Preposition + second-person masculine plural pronoun; Translation: “to you”; Notes: The audience is the people of Yisra’el.
- בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה (beyad-Moshe) – Root: יד (yad) + משה (Moshe); Form: Preposition + noun, feminine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “through Moshe”; Notes: Indicates agency, meaning YHWH’s command was delivered through Moshe.