בְּלֶכְתָּ֗ם אֶל־אַרְבַּ֤עַת רִבְעֵיהֶם֙ יֵלֵ֔כוּ לֹ֥א יִסַּ֖בּוּ בְּלֶכְתָּ֑ם כִּ֣י הַמָּקֹ֞ום אֲשֶׁר־יִפְנֶ֤ה הָרֹאשׁ֙ אַחֲרָ֣יו יֵלֵ֔כוּ לֹ֥א יִסַּ֖בּוּ בְּלֶכְתָּֽם׃
When they went, toward their four quarters they went; they did not turn when they went, for the place where the head would face, after it they went; they did not turn when they went.
Morphology
- בְּלֶכְתָּם (be-lekhtam) – Root: הלך; Form: Preposition בְּ + Qal infinitive construct with 3mp suffix; Translation: “when they went”; Notes: Temporal clause marking action.
- אֶל־אַרְבַּעַת (el-arbaʿat) – Root: ארבע; Form: Preposition אֶל + numeral masculine singular construct; Translation: “toward the four of”; Notes: Direction of movement.
- רִבְעֵיהֶם (rivʿeihem) – Root: רבע; Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 3mp suffix; Translation: “their quarters”; Notes: Refers to the four sides/directions.
- יֵלֵכוּ (yeleku) – Root: הלך; Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they went”; Notes: Main verb of motion.
- לֹא (lo) – Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
- יִסַּבּוּ (yissabu) – Root: סבב; Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they turned”; Notes: Motion verb negated, emphasizes straight course.
- בְּלֶכְתָּם (be-lekhtam) – Root: הלך; Form: Preposition בְּ + Qal infinitive construct with 3mp suffix (repeated); Translation: “when they went”; Notes: Parallel repetition.
- כִּי (ki) – Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason.
- הַמָּקֹום (ha-maqom) – Root: קום; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the place”; Notes: Indicates location of direction.
- אֲשֶׁר (asher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which/where”; Notes: Connects clause.
- יִפְנֶה (yifneh) – Root: פנה; Form: Qal imperfect 3ms; Translation: “would face/turn”; Notes: Refers to the direction of the “head.”
- הָרֹאשׁ (ha-rosh) – Root: ראשׁ; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the head”; Notes: Possibly the leading part of the cherubic figure.
- אַחֲרָיו (aḥarav) – Root: אחר; Form: Preposition + 3ms suffix; Translation: “after it”; Notes: Indicates following direction.
- יֵלֵכוּ (yeleku) – Root: הלך; Form: Qal imperfect 3mp (repeated); Translation: “they went”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.
- לֹא (lo) – Form: Negative particle (repeated); Translation: “not.”
- יִסַּבּוּ (yissabu) – Root: סבב; Form: Qal imperfect 3mp (repeated); Translation: “they turned.”
- בְּלֶכְתָּם (be-lekhtam) – Root: הלך; Form: Preposition בְּ + Qal infinitive construct with 3mp suffix (repeated); Translation: “when they went.”