וְלֹא־יִמְכְּר֣וּ מִמֶּ֗נּוּ וְלֹ֥א יָמֵ֛ר וְלֹ֥א יעבור רֵאשִׁ֣ית הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּי־קֹ֖דֶשׁ לַיהוָֽה׃
* כ יעבור
* ק יַעֲבִ֖יר
And they shall not sell from it, nor exchange it, nor cause the first of the land to pass away, for it is holy to YHWH.
Morphology
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle לֹא; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Introduces the first of three prohibitions regarding the sacred land portion.
- יִמְכְּרוּ (yimkeru) – Root: מָכַר (mākar); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall sell”; Notes: Indicates an action forbidden to the priests or Levites concerning their holy land.
- מִמֶּנּוּ (mimmenu) – Root: —; Form: Preposition מִן + pronominal suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “from it”; Notes: Specifies even a portion of the sacred property cannot be sold.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle לֹא; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Continues the prohibition sequence.
- יָמֵר (yamer) – Root: מוּר (mūr); Form: Hiphil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he shall exchange”; Notes: The Hiphil conveys causative action — to substitute or exchange. The sacred portion cannot be traded or replaced.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle לֹא; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Introduces the third and final prohibition.
- יַעֲבִיר (yaʿavir) – Root: עָבַר (ʿāvar); Form: Hiphil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he shall cause to pass” or “transfer”; Notes: Implies that the land may not change ownership or pass into other hands.
- רֵאשִׁית (rēʾšīt) – Root: רֹאשׁ (rōʾsh); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “the first” or “the best”; Notes: Denotes the choicest portion — the initial offering of the land consecrated to YHWH.
- הָאָרֶץ (hāʾāreṣ) – Root: אֶרֶץ (ʾereṣ); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the land”; Notes: Refers to the holy territory within Yisraʾel’s inheritance.
- כִּי (kī) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for” or “because”; Notes: Introduces the rationale for the preceding prohibitions.
- קֹדֶשׁ (qōdeš) – Root: קָדַשׁ (qādaš); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “holy”; Notes: Denotes sanctity — the land is set apart exclusively for divine use.
- לַיהוָה (la-YHWH) – Root: —; Form: Preposition לְ + divine name יהוה; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: Indicates possession and dedication; the land belongs entirely to YHWH.