וַאֲשֶׁר֩ יָבֹ֨א אֶת־רֵעֵ֥הוּ בַיַּעַר֮ לַחְטֹ֣ב עֵצִים֒ וְנִדְּחָ֨ה יָדֹ֤ו בַגַּרְזֶן֙ לִכְרֹ֣ת הָעֵ֔ץ וְנָשַׁ֤ל הַבַּרְזֶל֙ מִן־הָעֵ֔ץ וּמָצָ֥א אֶת־רֵעֵ֖הוּ וָמֵ֑ת ה֗וּא יָנ֛וּס אֶל־אַחַ֥ת הֶעָרִים־הָאֵ֖לֶּה וָחָֽי׃
And when one goes with his neighbor into the forest to cut wood, and his hand swings the axe to cut down the tree, and the iron slips off the wood and strikes his neighbor so that he dies, he shall flee to one of these cities and live.
Morphology
- וַאֲשֶׁר֩ (va-asher) – Root: אשר (asher); Form: Conjunction with relative pronoun; Translation: “And when”; Notes: Introduces a conditional clause.
- יָבֹ֨א (yavo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he goes”; Notes: Refers to entering a location.
- אֶת־רֵעֵ֥הוּ (et-ree’ehu) – Root: רע (rea); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix and direct object marker; Translation: “his neighbor”; Notes: Refers to a companion or friend.
- בַיַּעַר֮ (ba-ya’ar) – Root: יער (ya’ar); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “into the forest”; Notes: Refers to a wooded area.
- לַחְטֹ֣ב (lach’tov) – Root: חטב (chatav); Form: Qal infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to cut”; Notes: Refers to the act of chopping or cutting.
- עֵצִים֒ (etzim) – Root: עץ (etz); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “wood”; Notes: Refers to trees or logs.
- וְנִדְּחָ֨ה (ve-niddechah) – Root: נדח (nadach); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person feminine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and swings”; Notes: Refers to the motion of the hand.
- יָדֹ֤ו (yado) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun, feminine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his hand”; Notes: Refers to the person’s hand holding the axe.
- בַגַּרְזֶן֙ (ba-garzen) – Root: גרזן (garzen); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the axe”; Notes: Refers to the tool being used.
- לִכְרֹ֣ת (lich’rot) – Root: כרת (karat); Form: Qal infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to cut down”; Notes: Refers to the act of felling a tree.
- הָעֵ֔ץ (ha-etz) – Root: עץ (etz); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the tree”; Notes: Refers to the specific tree being cut.
- וְנָשַׁ֤ל (ve-nashal) – Root: נשל (nashal); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and slips”; Notes: Refers to the axe head detaching.
- הַבַּרְזֶל֙ (ha-barzel) – Root: ברזל (barzel); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the iron”; Notes: Refers to the metal axe head.
- מִן־הָעֵ֔ץ (min-ha-etz) – Root: עץ (etz); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition and definite article; Translation: “from the wood”; Notes: Refers to the handle of the axe.
- וּמָצָ֥א (u-matsa) – Root: מצא (matsa); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and strikes”; Notes: Refers to the axe head hitting someone.
- אֶת־רֵעֵ֖הוּ (et-ree’ehu) – Root: רע (rea); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix and direct object marker; Translation: “his neighbor”; Notes: Refers to the accidental victim.
- וָמֵ֑ת (va-met) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and he dies”; Notes: Indicates the fatal consequence.
- ה֗וּא (hu) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “he”; Notes: Refers to the manslayer.
- יָנ֛וּס (yanus) – Root: נוס (nus); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall flee”; Notes: Refers to the action of seeking refuge.
- אֶל־אַחַ֥ת (el-achat) – Root: אחד (echad); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with preposition; Translation: “to one of”; Notes: Refers to one of the designated cities.
- הֶעָרִים־הָאֵ֖לֶּה (he-arim-ha-eleh) – Root: עיר (ir); Form: Noun, feminine plural with definite article and demonstrative pronoun; Translation: “these cities”; Notes: Refers to the cities of refuge.
- וָחָֽי (va-chai) – Root: חיה (chayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and live”; Notes: Indicates that the manslayer is preserved by fleeing to the city of refuge.