כָּל־פֶּ֣טֶר רֶ֠חֶם לְֽכָל־בָּשָׂ֞ר אֲשֶׁר־יַקְרִ֧יבוּ לַֽיהוָ֛ה בָּאָדָ֥ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֖ה יִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֑ךְ אַ֣ךְ פָּדֹ֣ה תִפְדֶּ֗ה אֵ֚ת בְּכֹ֣ור הָֽאָדָ֔ם וְאֵ֛ת בְּכֹֽור־הַבְּהֵמָ֥ה הַטְּמֵאָ֖ה תִּפְדֶּֽה׃
Every firstborn of the womb of all flesh which they bring to YHWH, whether human or animal, shall be yours. However, you shall redeem the firstborn of man and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem.
Morphology
- כָּל־פֶּ֣טֶר (kol-peter) – Root: פטר (p-t-r); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “Every firstborn”; Notes: Refers to the first offspring that opens the womb.
- רֶ֠חֶם (reḥem) – Root: רחם (r-ḥ-m); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “Womb”; Notes: Denotes the physical womb of a mother.
- לְֽכָל־בָּשָׂ֞ר (le-khol-basar) – Root: בשר (b-s-r); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “Of all flesh”; Notes: Refers to all living beings.
- אֲשֶׁר־יַקְרִ֧יבוּ (asher-yaqrivu) – Root: קרב (q-r-v); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “Which they bring”; Notes: Refers to offerings made to YHWH.
- לַֽיהוָ֛ה (la-YHWH) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Preposition + Tetragrammaton; Translation: “To YHWH”; Notes: Refers to God.
- בָּאָדָ֥ם (ba-adam) – Root: אדם (ʾ-d-m); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “In human”; Notes: Refers to human beings.
- וּבַבְּהֵמָ֖ה (u-va-behemah) – Root: בהמה (b-h-m-h); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “And in animal”; Notes: Refers to domesticated animals.
- יִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֑ךְ (yihyeh-lakh) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + prepositional suffix 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “Shall be yours”; Notes: Indicates possession.
- אַ֣ךְ פָּדֹ֣ה תִפְדֶּ֗ה (akh padeh tifdeh) – Root: פדה (p-d-h); Form: Adverb + Qal infinitive absolute + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “However, you shall surely redeem”; Notes: Emphasizes the necessity of redemption.
- אֵ֚ת בְּכֹ֣ור הָֽאָדָ֔ם (et-bekhor ha-adam) – Root: בכור (b-k-r); Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine singular construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “The firstborn of man”; Notes: Refers to the firstborn male of humans.
- וְאֵ֛ת בְּכֹֽור־הַבְּהֵמָ֥ה (ve-et bekhor ha-behemah) – Root: בכור (b-k-r); Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + noun masculine singular construct + noun feminine singular; Translation: “And the firstborn of unclean animals”; Notes: Refers to unclean animal offspring that must be redeemed.
- הַטְּמֵאָ֖ה (ha-tme’ah) – Root: טמא (ṭ-m-ʾ); Form: Adjective feminine singular definite; Translation: “Unclean”; Notes: Describes animals not fit for sacrificial offerings.
- תִּפְדֶּֽה (tifdeh) – Root: פדה (p-d-h); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “You shall redeem”; Notes: Command to redeem the unclean animal.