וַאֲנִ֞י הִנֵּ֧ה לָקַ֣חְתִּי אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֗ם מִתֹּוךְ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל תַּ֧חַת כָּל־בְּכֹ֛ור פֶּ֥טֶר רֶ֖חֶם מִבְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהָ֥יוּ לִ֖י הַלְוִיִּֽם׃
“And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Yisra’el instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Yisra’el; and the Levites shall be mine.
Morphology
- וַאֲנִ֞י (va-ani) – Root: אני (ʾ-n-y); Form: Independent pronoun with conjunction; Translation: “And I”; Notes: Emphasizes the speaker, YHWH.
- הִנֵּ֧ה (hinneh) – Root: הנה (h-n-h); Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Introduces a declaration or emphasis.
- לָקַ֣חְתִּי (laqakhti) – Root: לקח (l-q-ḥ); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have taken”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s action of choosing the Levites.
- אֶת־ (et) – Form: Direct object marker; Translation: No translation; Notes: Marks the direct object of the verb.
- הַלְוִיִּ֗ם (ha-Levi’im) – Root: לוי (l-w-y); Form: Masculine plural noun with definite article; Translation: “The Levites”; Notes: Refers to the tribe of Levi.
- מִתֹּוךְ֙ (mitokh) – Root: תוך (t-w-k); Form: Preposition; Translation: “From among”; Notes: Indicates separation from a group.
- בְּנֵ֣י (bnei) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Masculine plural construct noun; Translation: “The children of”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Israel.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Yisrael) – Root: ישראל (y-s-r-ʾ-l); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Israel”; Notes: Refers to the people of Israel.
- תַּ֧חַת (taḥat) – Root: תחת (t-ḥ-t); Form: Preposition; Translation: “Instead of”; Notes: Indicates substitution.
- כָּל־ (kol) – Root: כל (k-l); Form: Noun in construct; Translation: “Every”; Notes: Refers to the firstborn.
- בְּכֹ֛ור (bekhor) – Root: בכר (b-k-r); Form: Masculine singular noun; Translation: “Firstborn”; Notes: Refers to the firstborn male.
- פֶּ֥טֶר (peter) – Root: פטר (p-t-r); Form: Masculine singular noun; Translation: “Who opens”; Notes: Refers to the first to open the womb.
- רֶ֖חֶם (reḥem) – Root: רחם (r-ḥ-m); Form: Masculine singular noun; Translation: “The womb”; Notes: Refers to childbirth.
- מִבְּנֵ֣י (mi-bnei) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Preposition with construct noun; Translation: “From among the children of”; Notes: Indicates origin.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Yisrael) – Root: ישראל (y-s-r-ʾ-l); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Israel”; Notes: Refers to the people of Israel.
- וְהָ֥יוּ (ve-hayu) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural with waw-consecutive; Translation: “And they shall be”; Notes: Refers to the Levites belonging to YHWH.
- לִ֖י (li) – Root: ל (l); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “To Me”; Notes: Indicates possession by YHWH.
- הַלְוִיִּֽם׃ (ha-Levi’im) – Root: לוי (l-w-y); Form: Masculine plural noun with definite article; Translation: “The Levites”; Notes: Refers to the tribe of Levi.