וְעָבַ֨ד הַלֵּוִ֜י ה֗וּא אֶת־עֲבֹדַת֙ אֹ֣הֶל מֹועֵ֔ד וְהֵ֖ם יִשְׂא֣וּ עֲוֹנָ֑ם חֻקַּ֤ת עֹולָם֙ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וּבְתֹוךְ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א יִנְחֲל֖וּ נַחֲלָֽה׃
The Levite shall perform the service of the Tent of Meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity. It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and among the children of Yisra’el, they shall have no inheritance.
Morphology
- וְעָבַ֨ד (ve-ʿavad) – Root: עבד (ʿ-v-d); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he shall perform”; Notes: Indicates action linked to the Levite’s service.
- הַלֵּוִ֜י (ha-Levi) – Root: לוי (l-v-y); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “The Levite”; Notes: Refers specifically to a member of the Levite tribe.
- ה֗וּא (hu) – Root: הוא (h-v-ʾ); Form: Pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “He”; Notes: Emphasizes the subject performing the service.
- אֶת־עֲבֹדַת֙ (et-ʿavodat) – Root: עבד (ʿ-v-d); Form: Definite direct object marker + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “The service of”; Notes: Specifies the task related to the Tent of Meeting.
- אֹ֣הֶל (ohel) – Root: אהל (ʾ-h-l); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “Tent”; Notes: Refers to the sacred Tent of Meeting.
- מֹועֵ֔ד (moʿed) – Root: יעד (y-ʿ-d); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “Meeting”; Notes: Indicates the designated place for divine encounters.
- וְהֵ֖ם (ve-hem) – Root: הם (h-m); Form: Pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “And they”; Notes: Refers to the Levites collectively.
- יִשְׂא֣וּ (yisʾu) – Root: נשא (n-s-ʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “They shall bear”; Notes: Refers to their responsibility for iniquity.
- עֲוֹנָ֑ם (ʿavonam) – Root: עון (ʿ-v-n); Form: Noun masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “Their iniquity”; Notes: Represents the burden of their sins.
- חֻקַּ֤ת (ḥuqqat) – Root: חקק (ḥ-q-q); Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “Statute of”; Notes: Denotes a permanent legal ordinance.
- עֹולָם֙ (olam) – Root: עלם (ʿ-l-m); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “Perpetuity”; Notes: Indicates the enduring nature of the statute.
- לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם (le-doroteikhem) – Root: דור (d-w-r); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural construct + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “For your generations”; Notes: Applies the statute to all future descendants.
- וּבְתֹוךְ֙ (u-ve-tokh) – Root: תוך (t-w-k); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “And among”; Notes: Specifies their position relative to Israel.
- בְּנֵ֣י (bene) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “The children of”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Yisraʾel) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Singular; Translation: “Israel”; Notes: Name of the nation chosen by YHWH.
- לֹ֥א (lo) – Root: לא (l-ʾ); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “Not”; Notes: Negates the action or state.
- יִנְחֲל֖וּ (yinhaʿlu) – Root: נחל (n-ḥ-l); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “They shall inherit”; Notes: Refers to the lack of land inheritance for the Levites.
- נַחֲלָֽה׃ (naḥalah) – Root: נחל (n-ḥ-l); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “Inheritance”; Notes: Indicates possession of land, which the Levites are excluded from.