וּבְאֻלָ֣ם הַשַּׁ֗עַר שְׁנַ֤יִם שֻׁלְחָנֹות֙ מִפֹּ֔ו וּשְׁנַ֥יִם שֻׁלְחָנֹ֖ות מִפֹּ֑ה לִשְׁחֹ֤וט אֲלֵיהֶם֙ הָעֹולָ֔ה וְהַחַטָּ֖את וְהָאָשָֽׁם׃
And in the porch of the gate were two tables on this side and two tables on that side, to slaughter upon them the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering.
Morphology
- וּבְאֻלָם (u-veʾulam) – Root: אולם (ʾulam); Form: Conjunction וּ + preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and in the porch”; Notes: Refers to the vestibule or entrance hall of the temple gate area where priestly activities were performed.
- הַשַּׁעַר (ha-shaʿar) – Root: שׁער (shaʿar); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the gate”; Notes: Specifies the location within the temple gate structure, an important component of Ezekiel’s visionary temple layout.
- שְׁנַיִם (shenayim) – Root: שׁנים (shenayim); Form: Numeral masculine dual; Translation: “two”; Notes: Indicates a pair, used for the two tables on one side of the porch.
- שֻׁלְחָנוֹת (shulḥanot) – Root: שׁלח (shalaḥ); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “tables”; Notes: Refers to the stone tables on which offerings were prepared or slaughtered by priests.
- מִפּוֹ (mi-po) – Root: —; Form: Preposition מִן + adverb פּוֹ (“here”); Translation: “on this side”; Notes: Denotes spatial orientation, one side of the porch’s entryway.
- וּשְׁנַיִם (u-shenayim) – Root: שׁנים (shenayim); Form: Conjunction וּ + numeral masculine dual; Translation: “and two”; Notes: Refers to another pair of tables situated symmetrically on the opposite side.
- שֻׁלְחָנוֹת (shulḥanot) – Root: שׁלח (shalaḥ); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “tables”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis, designating the symmetrical placement of tables on both sides of the porch.
- מִפֹּה (mi-po) – Root: —; Form: Preposition מִן + adverb פֹּה (“there”); Translation: “and on that side”; Notes: Balances the spatial description, forming a mirror image to “on this side.”
- לִשְׁחֹט (li-shaḥot) – Root: שׁחט (shaḥat); Form: Preposition לְ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to slaughter”; Notes: Describes the priestly action of slaughtering the offerings, a central act of sacrificial worship.
- אֲלֵיהֶם (ʾalehem) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 3mp; Translation: “upon them”; Notes: Refers to the tables as the surfaces upon which the sacrifices were prepared.
- הָעֹלָה (ha-ʿolah) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the burnt offering”; Notes: A whole offering burned entirely on the altar, symbolizing total devotion to YHWH.
- וְהַחַטָּאת (ve-ha-ḥattaʾt) – Root: חטא (ḥataʾ); Form: Conjunction וְ + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “and the sin offering”; Notes: Sacrifice offered for atonement of sins, emphasizing purification.
- וְהָאָשָׁם (ve-ha-ʾasham) – Root: אשם (ʾasham); Form: Conjunction וְ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the guilt offering”; Notes: Refers to an offering made for restitution or compensation, completing the triad of major sacrificial types mentioned here.