וְלָקַחְתָּ֨ אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֥ם לִי֙ אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה תַּ֥חַת כָּל־בְּכֹ֖ר בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאֵת֙ בֶּהֱמַ֣ת הַלְוִיִּ֔ם תַּ֣חַת כָּל־בְּכֹ֔ור בְּבֶהֱמַ֖ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And you shall take the Levites for me—I am YHWH—in place of all the firstborn among the children of Yisra’el, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Yisra’el.”
Morphology
- וְלָקַחְתָּ֨ (ve-laqachta) – Root: לקח (l-q-ḥ); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular with vav consecutive; Translation: “And you shall take”; Notes: A command directed to Moshe.
- אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֥ם (et-ha-Leviyim) – Root: לוי (l-w-y); Form: Masculine plural noun with definite article; Translation: “The Levites”; Notes: Refers to the tribe of Levi.
- לִי֙ (li) – Root: לי (l-y); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “For me”; Notes: Indicates possession or purpose.
- אֲנִ֣י (ani) – Root: אנ (ʾ-n); Form: Pronoun; Translation: “I”; Notes: Refers to YHWH speaking.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the Tetragrammaton.
- תַּ֥חַת (taḥat) – Root: תחת (t-ḥ-t); Form: Preposition; Translation: “In place of”; Notes: Indicates substitution.
- כָּל־בְּכֹ֖ר (kol-bekhor) – Root: בכר (b-k-r); Form: Masculine singular noun in construct with “kol”; Translation: “All the firstborn”; Notes: Refers to all firstborn sons.
- בִּבְנֵ֣י (bi-vnei) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Masculine plural construct noun with preposition; Translation: “Among the children of”; Notes: Refers to the children of Yisrael.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Yisrael) – Root: ישראל (y-s-r-ʾ-l); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisrael”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Israel.
- וְאֵת֙ (ve-et) – Root: את (ʾ-t); Form: Direct object marker with conjunction; Translation: Not translated; Notes: Marks the direct object of the verb.
- בֶּהֱמַ֣ת (behemat) – Root: בהמה (b-h-m); Form: Feminine singular construct noun; Translation: “The livestock of”; Notes: Refers to the animals belonging to the Levites.
- הַלְוִיִּ֔ם (ha-Leviyim) – Root: לוי (l-w-y); Form: Masculine plural noun with definite article; Translation: “The Levites”; Notes: Specifies the Levites as a group.
- תַּ֣חַת (taḥat) – Root: תחת (t-ḥ-t); Form: Preposition; Translation: “In place of”; Notes: Indicates substitution again.
- כָּל־בְּכֹ֔ור (kol-bekhor) – Root: בכר (b-k-r); Form: Masculine singular noun in construct with “kol”; Translation: “All the firstborn”; Notes: Refers to all firstborn animals.
- בְּבֶהֱמַ֖ת (be-vehemat) – Root: בהמה (b-h-m); Form: Feminine singular construct noun with preposition; Translation: “Among the livestock of”; Notes: Refers to the animals belonging to the children of Yisrael.
- בְּנֵ֥י (bnei) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Masculine plural construct noun; Translation: “Of the children of”; Notes: Refers to the children of Yisrael.
- יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (Yisrael) – Root: ישראל (y-s-r-ʾ-l); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisrael”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Israel.