וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶסְפָה־לִּ֞י שִׁבְעִ֣ים אִישׁ֮ מִזִּקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָדַ֔עְתָּ כִּי־הֵ֛ם זִקְנֵ֥י הָעָ֖ם וְשֹׁטְרָ֑יו וְלָקַחְתָּ֤ אֹתָם֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מֹועֵ֔ד וְהִֽתְיַצְּב֥וּ שָׁ֖ם עִמָּֽךְ׃
And YHWH said to Moshe, “Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Yisra’el, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers, and take them to the Tent of Meeting, and let them stand there with you.
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (vayomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And He said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech from the LORD.
- יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) – Root: Divine Name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “The LORD”; Notes: Refers to the covenantal God of Yisra’el.
- אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה (el-Moshe) – Root: משה (M-sh-h); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “To Moshe”; Notes: Moshe is addressed directly.
- אֶסְפָה־לִּ֞י (esfah-li) – Root: אסף (ʾ-s-f); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine singular + cohortative particle + preposition; Translation: “Gather for Me”; Notes: Commands Moshe to assemble the elders.
- שִׁבְעִ֣ים (shivʿim) – Root: שבע (sh-b-ʿ); Form: Numeral; Translation: “Seventy”; Notes: Indicates the number of elders.
- אִישׁ֮ (ish) – Root: איש (ʾ-y-sh); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “Men”; Notes: Refers to the individuals to be chosen.
- מִזִּקְנֵ֣י (mi-ziknei) – Root: זקן (z-q-n); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “From the elders of”; Notes: Specifies the group.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ (Yisra’el) – Root: ישראל (Y-s-r-ʾ-l); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisra’el”; Notes: Denotes the nation of Yisra’el.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר (asher) – Root: Relative particle; Form: Particle; Translation: “Whom”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause.
- יָדַ֔עְתָּ (yadata) – Root: ידע (y-d-ʿ); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “You know”; Notes: Refers to Moshe’s recognition of the elders.
- כִּי־הֵ֛ם (ki-hem) – Root: הוא (h-w); Form: Conjunction + pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “That they”; Notes: Connects the clause.
- זִקְנֵ֥י (ziknei) – Root: זקן (z-q-n); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “Elders of”; Notes: Refers to respected leaders.
- הָעָ֖ם (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “The people”; Notes: Refers to Yisra’el as a collective group.
- וְשֹׁטְרָ֑יו (ve-shotrav) – Root: שטר (sh-t-r); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “And their officers”; Notes: Refers to officials or enforcers among the people.
- וְלָקַחְתָּ֤ (ve-laqakhta) – Root: לקח (l-q-ḥ); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “And you shall take”; Notes: Indicates Moshe’s next action.
- אֹתָם֙ (otam) – Root: Pronoun; Form: Accusative 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “Them”; Notes: Refers to the elders and officers.
- אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל (el-ohel) – Root: אהל (ʾ-h-l); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “To the Tent of”; Notes: Refers to the sacred meeting place.
- מֹועֵ֔ד (moʿed) – Root: יעד (y-ʿ-d); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “Meeting”; Notes: Refers to the divine meeting point.
- וְהִֽתְיַצְּב֥וּ (ve-hityatsvu) – Root: יצב (y-ts-v); Form: Hithpael imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they shall stand”; Notes: Denotes a formal presentation.
- שָׁ֖ם (sham) – Root: Demonstrative; Form: Adverb; Translation: “There”; Notes: Specifies the location.
- עִמָּֽךְ (immakh) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “With you”; Notes: Refers to Moshe’s companionship.
This verse emphasizes the selection of elders as leaders and their association with Moshe, demonstrating a shared responsibility for the governance and spiritual care of Yisra’el.