אִם־בַּמַּחְתֶּ֛רֶת יִמָּצֵ֥א הַגַּנָּ֖ב וְהֻכָּ֣ה וָמֵ֑ת אֵ֥ין לֹ֖ו דָּמִֽים׃
If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him.
Morphology
- אִם־בַּמַּחְתֶּ֛רֶת (im-ba-maḥteret) – Root: חתר (ḥ-t-r); Form: Conditional particle + preposition with definite article + noun, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “If in the breaking-in”; Notes: Refers to a situation of burglary.
- יִמָּצֵ֥א (yimmatzeh) – Root: מצא (m-tz-ʾ); Form: Verb, Nifal imperfect, third person masculine singular; Translation: “Is found”; Notes: Indicates the thief being discovered.
- הַגַּנָּ֖ב (ha-ganav) – Root: גנב (g-n-v); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “The thief”; Notes: Identifies the individual committing theft.
- וְהֻכָּ֣ה (ve-hukkah) – Root: נכה (n-k-h); Form: Conjunction + verb, Hofal perfect, third person masculine singular; Translation: “And is struck”; Notes: Passive form indicating that the thief is struck.
- וָמֵ֑ת (va-met) – Root: מות (m-w-t); Form: Conjunction + verb, Qal perfect, third person masculine singular; Translation: “And dies”; Notes: Describes the consequence of being struck.
- אֵ֥ין לֹ֖ו דָּמִֽים (ein lo damim) – Root: אין (ʾ-y-n), דם (d-m); Form: Negative particle + prepositional phrase with pronoun suffix + noun, masculine plural absolute; Translation: “There is no bloodguilt for him”; Notes: Indicates that the person who struck the thief is not held liable for the death.