וְאַרְבָּעָה֩ שֻׁלְחָנֹ֨ות לָעֹולָ֜ה אַבְנֵ֣י גָזִ֗ית אֹרֶךְ֩ אַמָּ֨ה אַחַ֤ת וָחֵ֨צִי֙ וְרֹ֨חַב אַמָּ֤ה אַחַת֙ וָחֵ֔צִי וְגֹ֖בַהּ אַמָּ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם וְיַנִּ֤יחוּ אֶת־הַכֵּלִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁחֲט֧וּ אֶת־הָעֹולָ֛ה בָּ֖ם וְהַזָּֽבַח׃
And four tables for the burnt offering, of hewn stone, a cubit and a half in length, and a cubit and a half in width, and one cubit in height; upon them they shall place the instruments with which they slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice.
Morphology
- וְאַרְבָּעָה (veʾarbaʿāh) – Root: ארבע (ʾrbʿ); Form: Conjunction וְ + numeral masculine singular; Translation: “and four”; Notes: Introduces another set of four tables specifically designated for burnt offerings.
- שֻׁלְחָנוֹת (shulḥānōt) – Root: שׁלח (š-l-ḥ); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “tables”; Notes: Refers to the surfaces used in temple rituals for handling sacrificial items.
- לָעֹולָה (laʿōlāh) – Root: עלה (ʿ-l-h); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “for the burnt offering”; Notes: Specifies the purpose of these tables, used for offerings wholly consumed by fire before YHWH.
- אַבְנֵי (ʾavnê) – Root: אבן (ʾ-b-n); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “stones of”; Notes: Indicates the material composition—stones from which the tables were constructed.
- גָזִית (gāzît) – Root: גזז (g-z-z); Form: Adjective feminine singular; Translation: “hewn”; Notes: Describes carefully cut stone, often used in sacred architecture to symbolize purity and precision.
- אֹרֶךְ (ʾōrek) – Root: ארך (ʾ-r-k); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “length”; Notes: Begins a detailed architectural measurement description.
- אַמָּה (ʾammāh) – Root: אמה (ʾ-m-h); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a cubit”; Notes: Standard Hebrew unit of length (~45 cm), frequently used in temple specifications.
- אַחַת וָחֵצִי (ʾaḥat vāḥētsî) – Root: חצי (ḥ-ts-y); Form: Numeral feminine singular + fraction; Translation: “one and a half”; Notes: Expresses precise dimensioning, common in Ezekiel’s temple vision for ritual precision.
- וְרֹחַב (verōḥav) – Root: רחב (r-ḥ-b); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and width”; Notes: Indicates table breadth in equal measurement to length—square dimensions symbolize symmetry.
- וְגֹבַהּ (vegōvah) – Root: גבה (g-b-h); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and height”; Notes: The vertical measure of the tables, completing the triad of spatial proportions.
- אֲלֵיהֶם (ʾălêhem) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 3mp; Translation: “upon them”; Notes: Refers to the surfaces of the hewn-stone tables where the instruments were set.
- וְיַנִּיחוּ (veyannîḥū) – Root: נוח (n-w-ḥ); Form: Hiphil imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they shall place”; Notes: Indicates deliberate placement, showing ritual care and priestly orderliness.
- אֶת־הַכֵּלִים (ʾet-hakkēlîm) – Root: כלי (k-l-y); Form: Direct object marker + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the instruments”; Notes: Refers to temple implements used in sacrificial procedures—knives, bowls, hooks, etc.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Links the instruments to their ritual function.
- יִשְׁחֲטוּ (yišḥătū) – Root: שׁחט (š-ḥ-ṭ); Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they shall slaughter”; Notes: Describes the priestly action of killing sacrificial animals according to temple law.
- אֶת־הָעֹולָה (ʾet-hāʿōlāh) – Root: עלה (ʿ-l-h); Form: Direct object marker + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the burnt offering”; Notes: The most complete form of offering—entirely consumed on the altar as an act of devotion.
- בָּם (bām) – Root: ב (b); Form: Preposition בְּ + suffix 3mp; Translation: “in them” or “upon them”; Notes: Denotes location or instrumentality—where the slaughtering process occurs.
- וְהַזָּבַח (vehazzāvaḥ) – Root: זבח (z-b-ḥ); Form: Conjunction וְ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the sacrifice”; Notes: Refers to other offerings besides burnt offerings—such as peace or sin offerings—emphasizing the multifunctional use of the tables.