וְאֶל־הַכָּתֵ֣ף מִח֗וּצָה לָעֹולֶה֙ לְפֶ֨תַח֙ הַשַּׁ֣עַר הַצָּפֹ֔ונָה שְׁנַ֖יִם שֻׁלְחָנֹ֑ות וְאֶל־הַכָּתֵ֣ף הָאַחֶ֗רֶת אֲשֶׁר֙ לְאֻלָ֣ם הַשַּׁ֔עַר שְׁנַ֖יִם שֻׁלְחָנֹֽות׃
And at the side outside, to one going up to the entrance of the northern gate, were two tables; and at the other side which belonged to the porch of the gate, were two tables.
Morphology
- וְאֶל־הַכָּתֵף (ve-el ha-katef) – Root: כתף (katef); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition אֶל + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “and at the side”; Notes: Refers to the side or shoulder section of the gate structure, indicating position relative to the main entrance.
- מִחוּצָה (mi-ḥutsah) – Root: חוץ (ḥuts); Form: Preposition מִן + adverb feminine form; Translation: “outside”; Notes: Specifies that the location is outside the gate area, near its exterior boundary.
- לָעֹולֶה (la-ʿoleh) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Preposition לְ + Qal active participle masculine singular; Translation: “to one going up”; Notes: Describes the one ascending toward the gate entrance, possibly referring to priests entering by the northern approach.
- לְפֶתַח (le-petaḥ) – Root: פתח (pataḥ); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the entrance”; Notes: Indicates the destination point—the gate opening itself.
- הַשַּׁעַר (ha-shaʿar) – Root: שׁער (shaʿar); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the gate”; Notes: Specifies which gate is being described in Ezekiel’s temple vision.
- הַצָּפֹונָה (ha-tsafonah) – Root: צפון (tsafon); Form: Definite adjective feminine singular directional form; Translation: “the northern”; Notes: Denotes direction—this is the northern gate of the outer court.
- שְׁנַיִם (shenayim) – Root: שׁנים (shenayim); Form: Numeral masculine dual; Translation: “two”; Notes: Specifies the number of tables placed at this side.
- שֻׁלְחָנוֹת (shulḥanot) – Root: שׁלח (shalaḥ); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “tables”; Notes: Refers to stone or bronze tables used for slaughtering offerings.
- וְאֶל־הַכָּתֵף (ve-el ha-katef) – Root: כתף (katef); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition אֶל + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “and at the side”; Notes: Repeated phrase referring to the opposite side of the entrance for symmetrical arrangement.
- הָאַחֶרֶת (ha-aḥeret) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Definite adjective feminine singular; Translation: “the other”; Notes: Identifies the alternate or opposite side of the gate structure.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause describing the side’s relationship to the porch.
- לְאֻלָם (le-ʾulam) – Root: אולם (ʾulam); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the porch”; Notes: Connects the location of the side to the porch of the gate, showing spatial proximity.
- הַשַּׁעַר (ha-shaʿar) – Root: שׁער (shaʿar); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the gate”; Notes: Refers again to the northern gate, maintaining context within the temple structure.
- שְׁנַיִם (shenayim) – Root: שׁנים (shenayim); Form: Numeral masculine dual; Translation: “two”; Notes: Mirrors the number of tables on the other side.
- שֻׁלְחָנוֹת (shulḥanot) – Root: שׁלח (shalaḥ); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “tables”; Notes: Completes the symmetrical arrangement of four tables total—two on each side for sacrificial preparation.