כֹּל֩ הֹולֵ֨ךְ עַל־גָּחֹ֜ון וְכֹ֣ל הֹולֵ֣ךְ עַל־אַרְבַּ֗ע עַ֚ד כָּל־מַרְבֵּ֣ה רַגְלַ֔יִם לְכָל־הַשֶּׁ֖רֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ לֹ֥א תֹאכְל֖וּם כִּי־שֶׁ֥קֶץ הֵֽם׃
Every creature that moves on its belly, and every creature that walks on four legs, or any with many legs, among all the creeping things that creep on the earth, you shall not eat them, for they are detestable.
Morphology
- כֹּל֩ (kol) – Root: כל (k-l); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “Every”; Notes: Introduces all creatures described in the clause.
- הֹולֵ֨ךְ (holekh) – Root: הלך (h-l-k); Form: Participle, Qal, ms; Translation: “That moves”; Notes: Describes the action of crawling or walking.
- עַל־גָּחֹ֜ון (ʿal-gachon) – Root: גחון (g-ch-n); Form: Preposition + noun, ms; Translation: “On its belly”; Notes: Refers to creatures such as snakes or reptiles.
- וְכֹ֣ל (vechol) – Root: כל (k-l); Form: Conjunction + noun, ms; Translation: “And every”; Notes: Expands the category to other creatures.
- הֹולֵ֣ךְ (holekh) – Root: הלך (h-l-k); Form: Participle, Qal, ms; Translation: “That walks”; Notes: Describes creatures with legs.
- עַל־אַרְבַּ֗ע (ʿal-arbaʿ) – Root: ארבע (ʾ-r-b-ʿ); Form: Preposition + numeral, fs; Translation: “On four legs”; Notes: Refers to quadrupedal creatures.
- עַ֚ד כָּל־ (ʿad kol) – Root: עד (ʿ-d) + כל (k-l); Form: Preposition + noun, ms; Translation: “Or any”; Notes: Includes additional types of creatures.
- מַרְבֵּ֣ה רַגְלַ֔יִם (marbeh raglayim) – Root: רבה (r-b-h) + רגל (r-g-l); Form: Participle, Hiphil, ms + noun, fp; Translation: “With many legs”; Notes: Refers to creatures like centipedes or millipedes.
- לְכָל־ (lekhol) – Root: כל (k-l); Form: Preposition + noun, ms construct; Translation: “Among all”; Notes: Limits the prohibition to creeping things.
- הַשֶּׁ֖רֶץ (hasherets) – Root: שרץ (sh-r-ts); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “The creeping thing”; Notes: Refers to small, crawling creatures.
- הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץ (hashorets) – Root: שרץ (sh-r-ts); Form: Participle, Qal, ms; Translation: “That creeps”; Notes: Describes their movement.
- עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ (ʿal-haʾarets) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ts); Form: Preposition + noun, fs; Translation: “On the earth”; Notes: Specifies the habitat of these creatures.
- לֹ֥א (lo) – Form: Negative particle; Translation: “Not”; Notes: Negates the command to eat them.
- תֹאכְל֖וּם (tokhlem) – Root: אכל (ʾ-k-l); Form: Verb, Qal, imperfect, 2mp + suffix, 3mp; Translation: “You shall eat them”; Notes: Prohibits their consumption.
- כִּי־ (ki) – Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Provides the reason for the prohibition.
- שֶׁ֥קֶץ (sheqets) – Root: שקץ (sh-q-ts); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “Detestable”; Notes: Declares these creatures ritually unclean.
- הֵֽם (hem) – Root: הוא (h-w); Form: Pronoun, 3mp; Translation: “They are”; Notes: Refers back to the creeping things.