וְהַֽשְׁפַתַּ֗יִם טֹ֧פַח אֶחָ֛ד מוּכָנִ֥ים בַּבַּ֖יִת סָבִ֣יב סָבִ֑יב וְאֶל־הַשֻּׁלְחָנֹ֖ות בְּשַׂ֥ר הַקָּרְבָֽן׃
And the ledges, one handbreadth wide, were fixed in the house all around; and upon the tables was the flesh of the offering.
Morphology
- וְהַשְׁפַתַּיִם (vehašpattayim) – Root: שׁפת (š-p-t); Form: Conjunction וְ + definite noun feminine plural dual; Translation: “and the ledges”; Notes: Refers to raised rims or borders around the tables, likely serving to keep sacrificial elements from slipping off.
- טֹפַח (ṭōfaḥ) – Root: טפח (ṭ-p-ḥ); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a handbreadth”; Notes: A small unit of measure (~7.5 cm), indicating the thickness or width of the ledge.
- אֶחָד (ʾeḥad) – Root: אחד (ʾ-ḥ-d); Form: Numeral masculine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Denotes the dimension of a single handbreadth for uniformity of the ledges.
- מוּכָנִים (mūkhānîm) – Root: כון (k-w-n); Form: Pual participle masculine plural; Translation: “were fixed” or “set in place”; Notes: Indicates permanence and structural stability—these ledges were not movable but built into the architecture.
- בַּבַּיִת (babāyit) – Root: בית (b-y-t); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the house”; Notes: Refers to the temple or sanctuary area where the sacrificial tables were located.
- סָבִיב (sāvîv) – Root: סבב (s-b-b); Form: Adverb; Translation: “around”; Notes: Describes the encircling arrangement of ledges along the temple interior.
- סָבִיב (sāvîv) – Root: סבב (s-b-b); Form: Repetition for emphasis; Translation: “all around”; Notes: The repetition underscores the completeness of the structure’s enclosure.
- וְאֶל־הַשֻּׁלְחָנוֹת (veʾel-hašulḥānōt) – Root: שׁלח (š-l-ḥ); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition אֶל + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “and upon the tables”; Notes: Indicates the location of the offerings—the surfaces on which the sacrificial meat was arranged.
- בְּשַׂר (besar) – Root: בשר (b-š-r); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “was the flesh”; Notes: Refers to the meat of the offerings placed for ritual purposes.
- הַקָּרְבָּן (hakkarban) – Root: קרב (q-r-b); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the offering”; Notes: A general term for that which is brought near to YHWH, encompassing various types of sacrifices. Here, it refers to the meat portions laid upon the tables.