וְרֹאשָׁם֙ לֹ֣א יְגַלֵּ֔חוּ וּפֶ֖רַע לֹ֣א יְשַׁלֵּ֑חוּ כָּסֹ֥ום יִכְסְמ֖וּ אֶת־רָאשֵׁיהֶֽם׃
And their heads they shall not shave, and long hair they shall not let grow; trimming they shall trim the hair of their heads.
Morphology
- וְרֹאשָׁם (ve-roʾsham) – Root: ראשׁ (roʾsh); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and their heads”; Notes: Refers to the priests’ heads, emphasizing personal grooming standards in the temple service.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Used to prohibit the following action.
- יְגַלֵּחוּ (yehalleḥu) – Root: גלח (galaḥ); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall shave”; Notes: The Piel form intensifies the verb, meaning a complete removal of hair is forbidden.
- וּפֶרַע (u-feraʿ) – Root: פרע (paraʿ); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and long hair”; Notes: Refers to unkempt or overgrown hair, symbolizing neglect or disorder.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Prohibits the following verb.
- יְשַׁלֵּחוּ (yeshalleḥu) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall let grow”; Notes: In this context, the verb in Piel expresses allowing something to extend or remain untrimmed.
- כָּסֹום (kasom) – Root: כסם (kasam); Form: Infinitive absolute Qal; Translation: “trimming”; Notes: Functions adverbially to emphasize the manner or regularity of the following verb — “they shall indeed trim.”
- יִכְסְמוּ (yikhsemu) – Root: כסם (kasam); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall trim”; Notes: Indicates the act of moderately cutting the hair, balancing between extremes of shaving and neglecting.
- אֶת־ (ʾet) – Root: —; Form: Direct object marker; Translation: “(marks the definite object)”; Notes: Introduces the object of the verb “trim.”
- רָאשֵׁיהֶם (rosheihem) – Root: ראשׁ (roʾsh); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “the hair of their heads”; Notes: Refers to the priests’ hair, expressing the balanced approach required for priestly appearance.