קַדֶּשׁ־לִ֨י כָל־בְּכֹ֜ור פֶּ֤טֶר כָּל־רֶ֨חֶם֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה לִ֖י הֽוּא׃
“Consecrate to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the children of Yisra’el, both of man and of beast; it is Mine.”
Morphology
- קַדֶּשׁ־לִ֨י (qaddesh-li) – Root: קדש (q-d-sh); Form: Verb, Piel, Imperative, 2ms + Preposition + 1cs suffix; Translation: “Consecrate to Me”; Notes: Commands the dedication of the firstborn to YHWH.
- כָל־בְּכֹ֜ור (kol-bekhor) – Root: בכר (b-kh-r); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “Every firstborn”; Notes: Refers to the firstborn of man and beast.
- פֶּ֤טֶר (peter) – Root: פטר (p-t-r); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “The first offspring”; Notes: Refers to the firstborn that opens the womb.
- כָל־רֶ֨חֶם֙ (kol-reḥem) – Root: רחם (r-ḥ-m); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “Of every womb”; Notes: Indicates the first to come forth from the womb.
- בִּבְנֵ֣י (bibnei) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “Among the children of”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yisraʾel) – Root: שר (s-r) + אל (ʾ-l); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisra’el”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Israel.
- בָּאָדָ֖ם (baʾadam) – Root: אדם (ʾ-d-m); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “Of man”; Notes: Refers to human firstborns.
- וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה (uvabbehemah) – Root: בהמה (b-h-m-h); Form: Conjunction + Preposition + Noun, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “And of beast”; Notes: Includes the firstborn of livestock.
- לִ֖י (li) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + 1cs suffix; Translation: “To Me”; Notes: Declares possession by YHWH.
- הֽוּא׃ (hu) – Root: N/A; Form: Pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “It is”; Notes: Reiterates that the firstborn belong to YHWH.