וַיָּ֣מָת נָדָ֣ב וַאֲבִיה֣וּא לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֡ה בְּֽהַקְרִבָם֩ אֵ֨שׁ זָרָ֜ה לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר סִינַ֔י וּבָנִ֖ים לֹא־הָי֣וּ לָהֶ֑ם וַיְכַהֵ֤ן אֶלְעָזָר֙ וְאִ֣יתָמָ֔ר עַל־פְּנֵ֖י אַהֲרֹ֥ן אֲבִיהֶֽם׃ פ
And Nadav and Avihu died before YHWH when they brought strange fire before YHWH in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no sons. And Elʿazar and Itamar served as priests in the presence of Aharon their father.
Morphology
- וַיָּ֣מָת (vayyamat) – Root: מות (m-w-t); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with waw-consecutive; Translation: “And he died”; Notes: Refers to the deaths of Nadav and Avihu.
- נָדָ֣ב (Nadav) – Root: נדב (n-d-b); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Nadav”; Notes: The firstborn son of Aharon.
- וַאֲבִיה֣וּא (va-Avihu) – Root: אבי (ʾ-b-y) + הוא (h-w); Form: Proper noun with conjunction; Translation: “And Avihu”; Notes: The second son of Aharon.
- לִפְנֵ֣י (lifnei) – Root: פנה (p-n-h); Form: Preposition; Translation: “Before”; Notes: Refers to the presence of YHWH.
- יְהוָ֡ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (y-h-w-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the Tetragrammaton, the name of God.
- בְּֽהַקְרִבָם֩ (be-hakrivam) – Root: קרב (q-r-v); Form: Hiphil infinitive construct with preposition and 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “When they brought near”; Notes: Refers to the offering of unauthorized fire.
- אֵ֨שׁ (esh) – Root: אש (ʾ-sh); Form: Feminine singular noun; Translation: “Fire”; Notes: Indicates the unauthorized fire offered.
- זָרָ֜ה (zarah) – Root: זר (z-r); Form: Feminine singular adjective; Translation: “Strange”; Notes: Describes the fire as foreign or unauthorized.
- בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר (be-midbar) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Form: Masculine singular noun with preposition; Translation: “In the wilderness of”; Notes: Refers to the location, the wilderness of Sinai.
- סִינַ֔י (Sinai) – Root: סיני (s-y-n-y); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Sinai”; Notes: Refers to Mount Sinai.
- וּבָנִ֖ים (u-vanim) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Masculine plural noun with conjunction; Translation: “And sons”; Notes: Refers to offspring.
- לֹא־הָי֣וּ (lo-hayu) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “Were not”; Notes: Indicates the absence of sons for Nadav and Avihu.
- לָהֶ֑ם (lahem) – Root: ל (l) + הם (h-m); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “To them”; Notes: Refers to Nadav and Avihu.
- וַיְכַהֵ֤ן (vayekahen) – Root: כהן (k-h-n); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with waw-consecutive; Translation: “And he served as priest”; Notes: Refers to Elʿazar and Itamar taking up priestly duties.
- אֶלְעָזָר֙ (Elʿazar) – Root: אל (ʾ-l) + עזר (ʿ-z-r); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Elʿazar”; Notes: Third son of Aharon.
- וְאִ֣יתָמָ֔ר (ve-Itamar) – Root: איתי (ʾ-y-t-y) + מר (m-r); Form: Proper noun with conjunction; Translation: “And Itamar”; Notes: Fourth son of Aharon.
- עַל־פְּנֵ֖י (al-pnei) – Root: פנה (p-n-h); Form: Masculine singular construct noun with preposition; Translation: “In the presence of”; Notes: Indicates their service while Aharon was still alive.
- אַהֲרֹ֥ן (Aharon) – Root: אהרון (ʾ-h-r-n); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Aharon”; Notes: Refers to their father, the high priest.
- אֲבִיהֶֽם׃ (avihem) – Root: אב (ʾ-b); Form: Masculine singular noun with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “Their father”; Notes: Refers to Aharon as their parent.