עַל־כֵּ֛ן אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ לֵאמֹ֑ר שָׁלֹ֥שׁ עָרִ֖ים תַּבְדִּ֥יל לָֽךְ׃ ס
Therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall set apart three cities for yourself.’
Morphology
- עַל־כֵּ֛ן (al-ken) – Root: כן (ken); Form: Prepositional phrase; Translation: “Therefore”; Notes: Introduces a logical conclusion or instruction.
- אָנֹכִ֥י (anochi) – Root: אנכ (anoch); Form: Pronoun, first person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Refers to the speaker, typically YHWH.
- מְצַוְּךָ֖ (metzavkha) – Root: צוה (tzavah); Form: Piel participle masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “command you”; Notes: Refers to giving a directive.
- לֵאמֹ֑ר (le’emor) – Root: אמר (amar); Form: Qal infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech or a quotation.
- שָׁלֹ֥שׁ (shalosh) – Root: שלש (shalosh); Form: Numeral, feminine singular; Translation: “three”; Notes: Refers to the number of cities to be designated.
- עָרִ֖ים (arim) – Root: עיר (ir); Form: Noun, feminine plural; Translation: “cities”; Notes: Refers to the cities of refuge.
- תַּבְדִּ֥יל (tavdil) – Root: בדל (badal); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you shall set apart”; Notes: Refers to the act of designating or separating.
- לָֽךְ (lakh) – Root: ל (le); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “for yourself”; Notes: Indicates the personal responsibility or benefit of the command.