וְלֹא־יִקַּ֨ח הַנָּשִׂ֜יא מִנַּחֲלַ֣ת הָעָ֗ם לְהֹֽונֹתָם֙ מֵאֲחֻזָּתָ֔ם מֵאֲחֻזָּתֹ֖ו יַנְחִ֣ל אֶת־בָּנָ֑יו לְמַ֨עַן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יָפֻ֣צוּ עַמִּ֔י אִ֖ישׁ מֵאֲחֻזָּתֹֽו׃
And the prince shall not take from the people’s inheritance, oppressing them from their possession; from his own possession he shall give inheritance to his sons, so that My people be not scattered, each one from his possession.
Morphology
- וְלֹא־יִקַּח (ve-lo yiqqaḥ) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle לֹא + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he shall not take”; Notes: A divine prohibition against the prince’s abuse of authority regarding land redistribution.
- הַנָּשִׂיא (ha-nasi) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the prince”; Notes: Refers to the ruler of Yisraʾel within Ezekiel’s restored order.
- מִנַּחֲלַת (min-naḥalat) – Root: נחל (naḥal); Form: Preposition מִן + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “from the inheritance of”; Notes: Specifies the people’s territorial portion assigned by YHWH.
- הָעָם (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Refers collectively to Yisraʾel’s tribes and citizens under the covenant order.
- לְהֹנֹתָם (le-honotam) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “to oppress them”; Notes: Indicates exploitation or deceit through unjust appropriation of property.
- מֵאֲחֻזָּתָם (me-aḥuzzatam) – Root: אחז (aḥaz); Form: Preposition מִן + noun feminine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “from their possession”; Notes: Denotes the ancestral lands given to each family or tribe as permanent holdings.
- מֵאֲחֻזָּתֹו (me-aḥuzzato) – Root: אחז (aḥaz); Form: Preposition מִן + noun feminine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “from his own possession”; Notes: Contrasts the prince’s inheritance with that of the people.
- יַנְחִל (yankhil) – Root: נחל (naḥal); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he shall give inheritance”; Notes: The Hifil form gives the causative sense — “cause to inherit,” indicating legal transfer to his sons.
- אֶת־בָּנָיו (et-banav) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Direct object marker אֶת + noun masculine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “his sons”; Notes: Specifies legitimate heirs who will inherit the prince’s portion.
- לְמַעַן (le-maʿan) – Root: —; Form: Preposition; Translation: “so that” or “in order that”; Notes: Introduces the purpose clause explaining YHWH’s intent for justice and order.
- אֲשֶׁר (asher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that” or “so that”; Notes: Connects the purpose clause describing prevention of social injustice.
- לֹא־יָפֻצוּ (lo-yafutzu) – Root: פוץ (putz); Form: Negative particle לֹא + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they be not scattered”; Notes: Refers to the prevention of displacement or dispersion of YHWH’s people from their lands.
- עַמִּי (ʿammi) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “My people”; Notes: Expresses divine ownership and covenant relationship between YHWH and Yisraʾel.
- אִישׁ (ʾish) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “each man” or “every man”; Notes: Stresses individual responsibility and entitlement within the communal inheritance.
- מֵאֲחֻזָּתֹו (me-aḥuzzato) – Root: אחז (aḥaz); Form: Preposition מִן + noun feminine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “from his possession”; Notes: Concludes the verse emphasizing that no person should lose his hereditary portion of land.