הֵ֣ן יִשָּׂא־אִ֨ישׁ בְּשַׂר־קֹ֜דֶשׁ בִּכְנַ֣ף בִּגְדֹ֗ו וְנָגַ֣ע בִּ֠כְנָפֹו אֶל־הַלֶּ֨חֶם וְאֶל־הַנָּזִ֜יד וְאֶל־הַיַּ֧יִן וְאֶל־שֶׁ֛מֶן וְאֶל־כָּל־מַאֲכָ֖ל הֲיִקְדָּ֑שׁ וַיַּעֲנ֧וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ לֹֽא׃
“Behold, if a man carries holy flesh in the fold of his garment, and his fold touches the bread or the stew or the wine or the oil or any food, shall it become holy?”’” And the priests answered and said, “No.”
Morphology
- הֵן (hen) – Root: —; Form: Interjection; Translation: “behold”; Notes: Introduces a hypothetical case for priestly ruling.
- יִשָּׂא (yissa) – Root: נשׂא (nasaʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3ms; Translation: “he carries”; Notes: Describes the man transporting the holy flesh.
- אִישׁ (ish) – Root: אישׁ (ish); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Subject of the conditional case.
- בְּשַׂר־ (be-sar) – Root: בשר (basar); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “holy flesh of”; Notes: Refers to sacrificial meat designated as holy.
- קֹדֶשׁ (kodesh) – Root: קדשׁ (kadesh); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “holiness / holy”; Notes: Specifies that the flesh is consecrated.
- בִּכְנַף (bi-kanaf) – Root: כנף (kanaf); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the fold”; Notes: Edge or fold of the garment serving as a carrier.
- בִּגְדֹו (bigdo) – Root: בגד (beged); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “his garment”; Notes: Indicates personal clothing.
- וְנָגַע (ve-nagaʿ) – Root: נגע (nagaʿ); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “and it touches”; Notes: The fold makes contact with other objects.
- בִּכְנָפֹו (bi-knafo) – Root: כנף (kanaf); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “with its fold”; Notes: Refers to the garment’s edge that touched items.
- אֶל־ (el) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition; Translation: “to / upon”; Notes: Introduces each item potentially made holy.
- הַלֶּחֶם (ha-lechem) – Root: לחם (lechem); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the bread”; Notes: First item tested by the hypothetical contact.
- וְאֶל־הַנָּזִיד (ve-el-ha-nazid) – Root: נזד (nazid); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition אֶל + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “and to the stew”; Notes: Cooked dish, often lentils or grains.
- וְאֶל־הַיַּיִן (ve-el-ha-yayin) – Root: יין (yayin); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition אֶל + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “and to the wine”; Notes: Fermented beverage.
- וְאֶל־שֶׁמֶן (ve-el-shemen) – Root: שׁמן (shemen); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition אֶל + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and to the oil”; Notes: Could be olive oil used for anointing or food.
- וְאֶל־כָּל־מַאֲכָל (ve-el-kol-ma’akhal) – Root: אכל (akal); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition אֶל + noun כָּל in construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and to any food”; Notes: Expands the range to any edible item.
- הֲיִקְדָּשׁ (ha-yiqdash) – Root: קדשׁ (kadesh); Form: Interrogative particle הֲ + Qal imperfect 3ms; Translation: “shall it become holy?”; Notes: Asks whether holiness is transferable indirectly.
- וַיַּעֲנוּ (va-ya’anu) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3mp; Translation: “and they answered”; Notes: Priestly ruling response.
- הַכֹּהֲנִים (ha-kohanim) – Root: כהן (khn); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the priests”; Notes: Authorized interpreters of purity law.
- וַיֹּאמְרוּ (va-yomru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol 3mp; Translation: “and they said”; Notes: Continues the narrative ruling.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “no”; Notes: Priests deny the transferability of holiness by secondary contact.