וְכִֽי־יִתֵּ֨ן מַתָּנָ֜ה מִנַּחֲלָתֹ֗ו לְאַחַד֙ מֵֽעֲבָדָ֔יו וְהָ֤יְתָה לֹּו֙ עַד־שְׁנַ֣ת הַדְּרֹ֔ור וְשָׁבַ֖ת לַנָּשִׂ֑יא אַ֚ךְ נַחֲלָתֹ֔ו בָּנָ֖יו לָהֶ֥ם תִּהְיֶֽה׃
And if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, then it shall belong to him until the year of liberty; then it shall return to the prince. But his inheritance shall belong to his sons; it shall be theirs.
Morphology
- וְכִי־יִתֵּן (ve-khi yitten) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Conjunction וְ + conditional particle כִּי + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and if he gives”; Notes: Introduces a conditional legal situation regarding property transfer by the prince.
- מַתָּנָה (mattanah) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a gift”; Notes: Refers to a voluntary or legal bestowal of property or land.
- מִנַּחֲלָתֹו (min-naḥalato) – Root: נחל (naḥal); Form: Preposition מִן + noun feminine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “from his inheritance”; Notes: Specifies that the gift originates from the prince’s personal portion of land.
- לְאַחַד (le-aḥad) – Root: אחד (ʾaḥad); Form: Preposition לְ + numeral masculine singular; Translation: “to one”; Notes: Indicates that the gift is directed to a specific individual.
- מֵעֲבָדָיו (me-ʿavadav) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “of his servants”; Notes: Refers to the prince’s personal servants or retainers.
- וְהָיְתָה (ve-hayetah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “then it shall belong”; Notes: Denotes the temporary possession granted to the servant.
- לֹּו (lo) – Root: —; Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Indicates possession by the servant during the permitted period.
- עַד־שְׁנַת (ʿad-shenat) – Root: שׁנה (shanah); Form: Preposition עַד + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “until the year of”; Notes: Sets a time limit for the gift’s validity.
- הַדְּרֹור (ha-deror) – Root: דרר (darar); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the liberty” or “the jubilee”; Notes: Refers to the year of release, in which land returns to original ownership (cf. Leviticus 25:10).
- וְשָׁבַת (ve-shavat) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “then it shall return”; Notes: Marks restoration of ownership after the Jubilee year.
- לַנָּשִׂיא (la-nasi) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the prince”; Notes: Indicates that the property reverts to the original owner, the prince.
- אַךְ (ʾakh) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “but” or “however”; Notes: Introduces a contrasting clause emphasizing the distinction between temporary and permanent inheritance.
- נַחֲלָתֹו (naḥalato) – Root: נחל (naḥal); Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “his inheritance”; Notes: Refers to the land permanently belonging to the prince’s family line.
- בָּנָיו (banav) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “his sons”; Notes: Designates the legitimate heirs of the prince.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: —; Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Denotes rightful ownership by the sons.
- תִּהְיֶה (tihyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it shall be”; Notes: Concludes the legal statement affirming the sons’ permanent claim to the inheritance.