וְהָאֲרִאֵל שְׁתֵּ֤ים עֶשְׂרֵה֙ אֹ֔רֶךְ בִּשְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה רֹ֑חַב רָב֕וּעַ אֶ֖ל אַרְבַּ֥עַת רְבָעָֽיו׃
And the altar-hearth twelve in length by twelve in breadth, square toward its four sides.
Morphology
- וְהָאֲרִאֵל (ve-ha-ʾariʾel) – Root: אראל (ʾariʾel); Form: Conjunction וְ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the altar-hearth”; Notes: Derived from ʾari (“lion”) and ʾel (“God”), here meaning the upper part or hearth of the altar, the section where offerings are burned.
- שְׁתֵּים (shetayim) – Root: —; Form: Numeral feminine dual; Translation: “twelve” (part of the dual numeral compound); Notes: Appears as the first component in the compound number “twelve.”
- עֶשְׂרֵה (ʿesreh) – Root: —; Form: Numeral feminine form of “ten”; Translation: “ten”; Notes: Together with שְׁתֵּים forms “twelve.”
- אֹרֶךְ (ʾorekh) – Root: ארך (ʾarakh); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “length”; Notes: Indicates the longitudinal measurement of the altar-hearth.
- בִּשְׁתֵּים (bi-shetayim) – Root: —; Form: Preposition בְּ + numeral feminine dual; Translation: “by twelve”; Notes: The preposition בְּ introduces a comparative dimension, showing the proportion of length to width.
- עֶשְׂרֵה (ʿesreh) – Root: —; Form: Numeral feminine form of “ten”; Translation: “ten”; Notes: Again completes the dual compound “twelve.”
- רֹחַב (roḥav) – Root: רחב (raḥav); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “breadth” or “width”; Notes: Denotes the lateral dimension corresponding to the length.
- רָב֕וּעַ (ravuʿa) – Root: רבע (ravaʿ); Form: Passive participle masculine singular; Translation: “square”; Notes: Describes geometric symmetry — all sides equal, emphasizing perfection in sacred proportions.
- אֶל (el) – Root: —; Form: Preposition; Translation: “toward”; Notes: Marks direction or relation — the square shape extends uniformly toward all sides.
- אַרְבַּעַת (arbaʿat) – Root: ארבע (arbaʿ); Form: Numeral masculine singular construct; Translation: “four”; Notes: Construct form links directly with רְבָעָיו (“its sides”).
- רְבָעָיו (revāʿav) – Root: רבע (ravaʿ); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “its sides” or “its quarters”; Notes: Refers to the four equal directions or sides of the altar-hearth, symbolizing completeness and balance.