וַיָּ֣שֶׂם אֹתָ֣הּ יֹוסֵ֡ף לְחֹק֩ עַד־הַיֹּ֨ום הַזֶּ֜ה עַל־אַדְמַ֥ת מִצְרַ֛יִם לְפַרְעֹ֖ה לַחֹ֑מֶשׁ רַ֞ק אַדְמַ֤ת הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ לְבַדָּ֔ם לֹ֥א הָיְתָ֖ה לְפַרְעֹֽה׃
And Yosef made it a statute to this day over the land of Miṣrayim, for Par’o, to take a fifth; only the land of the priests alone did not belong to Pharaoh.
Morphology
- וַיָּ֣שֶׂם (vayasem) – Root: שׂים (sim); Form: Verb, Qal, Consecutive Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “And he made”; Notes: Refers to Yosef establishing the law.
- אֹתָ֣הּ (otah) – Form: Object marker with 3fs suffix; Translation: “it”; Notes: Refers to the statute concerning the fifth.
- יֹוסֵ֡ף (Yosef) – Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Yosef”; Notes: The subject of the action.
- לְחֹק֩ (le-choq) – Root: חוק (choq); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “a statute”; Notes: Indicates a formal decree or law.
- עַד־הַיֹּ֨ום (ad-hayom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition and definite article; Translation: “to this day”; Notes: Refers to the lasting nature of the statute.
- הַזֶּ֜ה (ha-zeh) – Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Emphasizes the current time.
- עַל־אַדְמַ֥ת (al-admat) – Root: אדמה (adamah); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with preposition; Translation: “over the land of”; Notes: Refers to the territory under the decree.
- מִצְרַ֛יִם (Miṣrayim) – Form: Proper noun, feminine singular; Translation: “Miṣrayim”; Notes: Refers to Egypt.
- לְפַרְעֹ֖ה (le-Phar’oh) – Form: Preposition with proper noun; Translation: “for Pharaoh”; Notes: Indicates Pharaoh as the beneficiary of the law.
- לַחֹ֑מֶשׁ (la-chomes) – Root: חמש (chamesh); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the fifth”; Notes: Specifies the portion to be given to Pharaoh.
- רַ֞ק (raq) – Form: Adverb; Translation: “only”; Notes: Introduces an exception to the rule.
- אַדְמַ֤ת (admat) – Root: אדמה (adamah); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “the land of”; Notes: Refers to the property of the priests.
- הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ (ha-kohanim) – Root: כהן (kohen); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “the priests”; Notes: Specifies whose land was exempt.
- לְבַדָּ֔ם (levaddam) – Root: בדד (badad); Form: Adverb with 3mp suffix; Translation: “alone”; Notes: Indicates exclusivity.
- לֹ֥א הָיְתָ֖ה (lo hayetah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3fs; Translation: “did not belong”; Notes: Denies Pharaoh’s ownership of the priests’ land.
- לְפַרְעֹֽה׃ (le-Phar’oh) – Form: Preposition with proper noun; Translation: “to Pharaoh”; Notes: Reinforces the exception regarding ownership.