וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ מִֽשְׁמַרְתְּךָ֔ וּמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת כָּל־הָאֹ֑הֶל אַךְ֩ אֶל־כְּלֵ֨י הַקֹּ֤דֶשׁ וְאֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֨חַ֙ לֹ֣א יִקְרָ֔בוּ וְלֹֽא־יָמֻ֥תוּ גַם־הֵ֖ם גַּם־אַתֶּֽם׃
They shall keep your charge and the charge of the whole tent, but they must not come near the vessels of the sanctuary or the altar, so that they do not die—neither they nor you.
Morphology
- וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ (ve-shamru) – Root: שמר (sh-m-r); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “They shall keep”; Notes: Indicates a continuous action of guarding or keeping.
- מִֽשְׁמַרְתְּךָ֔ (mishmartkha) – Root: שמר (sh-m-r); Form: Noun feminine singular construct + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “Your charge”; Notes: Refers to the responsibility given to the Levites.
- וּמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת (u-mishmeret) – Root: שמר (sh-m-r); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “And the charge”; Notes: Conjoins another responsibility related to the tent.
- כָּל־הָאֹ֑הֶל (kol-ha-ohel) – Root: אהל (ʾ-h-l); Form: Noun masculine singular construct with definite article; Translation: “Of the whole tent”; Notes: Refers to the Tent of Meeting.
- אַךְ֩ (akh) – Root: אך (ʾ-kh); Form: Adverb; Translation: “But”; Notes: Introduces a limitation or exception.
- אֶל־כְּלֵ֨י (el-kle) – Root: כלי (k-l-y); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “To the vessels of”; Notes: Refers to the sacred vessels.
- הַקֹּ֤דֶשׁ (ha-qodesh) – Root: קדש (q-d-sh); Form: Noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “The sanctuary”; Notes: Refers to the holy items used in the tabernacle.
- וְאֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֨חַ (ve-el-ha-mizbeach) – Root: מזבח (m-z-b-ḥ); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “And to the altar”; Notes: Refers to the altar for offerings.
- לֹ֣א יִקְרָ֔בוּ (lo yiqrevu) – Root: קרב (q-r-v); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “They must not come near”; Notes: A prohibition to avoid approaching the sacred objects.
- וְלֹֽא־יָמֻ֥תוּ (ve-lo yamu) – Root: מות (m-w-t); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “So that they do not die”; Notes: Expresses the consequence of violating the prohibition.
- גַם־הֵ֖ם (gam-hem) – Root: גם (g-m) + הם (h-m); Form: Adverb + pronoun 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “Also they”; Notes: Includes both the Levites and others.
- גַּם־אַתֶּֽם (gam-atem) – Root: גם (g-m) + אתם (ʾ-t-m); Form: Adverb + pronoun 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Also you”; Notes: Addresses the priests directly.