הֶֽעָשִׁ֣יר לֹֽא־יַרְבֶּ֗ה וְהַדַּל֙ לֹ֣א יַמְעִ֔יט מִֽמַּחֲצִ֖ית הַשָּׁ֑קֶל לָתֵת֙ אֶת־תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶֽם׃
The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, to give the offering of YHWH, to make atonement for your souls.
Morphology
- הֶֽעָשִׁ֣יר (he’ashir) – Root: עשׁר (ʿ-sh-r); Form: Article + Participle, Hiphil, masculine singular; Translation: “The rich”; Notes: Refers to wealthy individuals among the Israelites.
- לֹֽא־יַרְבֶּ֗ה (lo-yarbeh) – Root: רבה (r-b-h); Form: Negative particle + Verb, Hiphil, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “Shall not give more”; Notes: Indicates the prohibition against the rich contributing more than the specified amount.
- וְהַדַּל֙ (ve’hadal) – Root: דלל (d-l-l); Form: Conjunction + Participle, Qal, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “And the poor”; Notes: Refers to individuals of limited means.
- לֹ֣א יַמְעִ֔יט (lo-yam’it) – Root: מעט (m-ʿ-t); Form: Negative particle + Verb, Hiphil, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “Shall not give less”; Notes: Indicates that the poor are required to contribute the same amount as the rich.
- מִֽמַּחֲצִ֖ית (mimmaḥatsit) – Root: חצי (ḥ-ts-y); Form: Preposition + Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “Than half”; Notes: Refers to half of the specified shekel amount.
- הַשָּׁ֑קֶל (hashekel) – Root: שקל (sh-q-l); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “A shekel”; Notes: Refers to the standard unit of currency.
- לָתֵת֙ (latet) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Preposition + Verb, Qal, Infinitive Construct; Translation: “To give”; Notes: Refers to the act of contributing the offering.
- אֶת־תְּרוּמַ֣ת (et-terumat) – Root: רום (r-w-m); Form: Preposition + Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “The offering of”; Notes: Refers to the contribution given to YHWH.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (Y-H-W-H); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Indicates that the offering is dedicated to YHWH.
- לְכַפֵּ֖ר (lekhapper) – Root: כפר (k-p-r); Form: Preposition + Verb, Piel, Infinitive Construct; Translation: “To make atonement”; Notes: Refers to the purpose of the offering, to secure atonement.
- עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶֽם (ʿal-nafshoteikhem) – Root: נפש (n-p-sh); Form: Preposition + Noun, feminine plural construct with 2mp suffix; Translation: “For your souls”; Notes: Refers to the lives or persons of the Israelites being atoned for.