כִּֽי־נֶ֣פֶשׁ כָּל־בָּשָׂ֗ר דָּמֹ֣ו בְנַפְשֹׁו֮ הוּא֒ וָֽאֹמַר֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל דַּ֥ם כָּל־בָּשָׂ֖ר לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֑לוּ כִּ֣י נֶ֤פֶשׁ כָּל־בָּשָׂר֙ דָּמֹ֣ו הִ֔וא כָּל־אֹכְלָ֖יו יִכָּרֵֽת׃
For the life of all flesh is its blood, in its life. And I have said to the children of Yisra’el, “You shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood; anyone who eats it shall be cut off.”
Morphology
- כִּֽי־נֶ֣פֶשׁ (ki-nefesh) – Root: נפש (n-p-sh); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “For the life”; Notes: Introduces a reason or explanation.
- כָּל־בָּשָׂ֗ר (kol-basar) – Root: בשר (b-s-r); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “Of all flesh”; Notes: Refers to all living beings.
- דָּמֹ֣ו (damo) – Root: דם (d-m); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “Its blood”; Notes: Indicates the blood as the life essence.
- בְנַפְשֹׁו֮ (be-nafsho) – Root: נפש (n-p-sh); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “In its life”; Notes: Shows the connection between blood and life.
- הוּא֒ (hu) – Root: Pronoun; Form: 3rd person masculine singular pronoun; Translation: “It is”; Notes: Emphasizes the identification.
- וָֽאֹמַר֙ (va-omar) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Conjunction + Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “And I have said”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s direct instruction.
- לִבְנֵ֣י (li-bnei) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “To the children of”; Notes: Refers to the descendants of Yisra’el.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Yisra’el) – Root: ישראל (y-sh-r-ʾ-l); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisra’el”; Notes: The covenant people.
- דַּ֥ם (dam) – Root: דם (d-m); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “Blood”; Notes: Refers to the life force.
- כָּל־בָּשָׂ֖ר (kol-basar) – Root: בשר (b-s-r); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “Of all flesh”; Notes: Reiterates the universal application.
- לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֑לוּ (lo toakhelu) – Root: אכל (ʾ-k-l); Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “You shall not eat”; Notes: Prohibits consuming blood.
- כִּ֣י נֶ֤פֶשׁ (ki nefesh) – Root: נפש (n-p-sh); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “For the life”; Notes: Reiterates the reason for the prohibition.
- כָּל־בָּשָׂר֙ (kol-basar) – Root: בשר (b-s-r); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “Of all flesh”; Notes: Refers to all living beings.
- דָּמֹ֣ו (damo) – Root: דם (d-m); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “Its blood”; Notes: Indicates blood as the bearer of life.
- הִ֔וא (hi) – Root: Pronoun; Form: 3rd person feminine singular pronoun; Translation: “It is”; Notes: Refers to blood being equated with life.
- כָּל־אֹכְלָ֖יו (kol-okhlav) – Root: אכל (ʾ-k-l); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + participle masculine plural construct suffix; Translation: “Anyone who eats it”; Notes: Refers to violators of this command.
- יִכָּרֵֽת (yikkaret) – Root: כרת (k-r-t); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Shall be cut off”; Notes: Indicates divine judgment or separation.