וְהָרִֽצְפָה֙ אֶל־כֶּ֣תֶף הַשְּׁעָרִ֔ים לְעֻמַּ֖ת אֹ֣רֶךְ הַשְּׁעָרִ֑ים הָרִֽצְפָ֖ה הַתַּחְתֹּונָֽה׃
And the pavement was beside the shoulder of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates, the lower pavement.
Morphology
- וְהָרִצְפָה (ve-ha-ritspah) – Root: רצף (ratsaf); Form: Conjunction וְ + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “and the pavement”; Notes: Refers to the stone flooring in the temple court, continuing the architectural description.
- אֶל־ (ʾel) – Root: —; Form: Preposition; Translation: “toward” / “beside”; Notes: Indicates spatial relationship between the pavement and the adjoining structures.
- כֶּתֶף (ketef) – Root: כתף (kataph); Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “shoulder” / “side”; Notes: Used metaphorically to mean “side” or “flank” of the gates.
- הַשְּׁעָרִים (ha-sheʿarim) – Root: שׁער (shaʿar); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “of the gates”; Notes: Refers to multiple gate structures of the outer court.
- לְעֻמַּת (leʿummat) – Root: עמם (ʿamam); Form: Preposition; Translation: “opposite to” / “corresponding to”; Notes: Indicates alignment or parallel position relative to another structure.
- אֹרֶךְ (ʾorekh) – Root: ארך (ʾārekh); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “length”; Notes: Denotes the longitudinal measure of the gates being described.
- הַשְּׁעָרִים (ha-sheʿarim) – Root: שׁער (shaʿar); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “of the gates”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis, underscoring the correspondence of length and layout.
- הָרִצְפָה (ha-ritspah) – Root: רצף (ratsaf); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the pavement”; Notes: Refers again to the flooring, this time qualified as the lower level.
- הַתַּחְתֹּונָה (ha-taḥtonah) – Root: תחת (taḥat); Form: Definite adjective feminine singular; Translation: “the lower”; Notes: Distinguishes this pavement as the lower tier, possibly below an elevated platform or upper court.