וַיִּקַּ֨ח מֹשֶׁ֜ה מִמַּחֲצִ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶת־הָֽאָחֻז֙ אֶחָ֣ד מִן־הַחֲמִשִּׁ֔ים מִן־הָאָדָ֖ם וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֑ה וַיִּתֵּ֨ן אֹתָ֜ם לַלְוִיִּ֗ם שֹֽׁמְרֵי֙ מִשְׁמֶ֨רֶת֙ מִשְׁכַּ֣ן יְהוָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃
And Moshe took from the half belonging to the sons of Yisraʾel, one out of every fifty, from man and from beast, and he gave them to the Levites, the guardians of the charge of the tabernacle of YHWH, as YHWH had commanded Moshe.
Morphology
- וַיִּקַּ֨ח (va-yiqqaḥ) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he took”; Notes: Narrative sequence marker.
- מֹשֶׁ֜ה (Mosheh) – Root: משׁה (Moshe); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Moshe”; Notes: Refers to the leader of Yisraʾel.
- מִמַּחֲצִ֣ת (mi-maḥatsit) – Root: חצה (ḥatsah); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “From the half”; Notes: Indicates the division of spoils.
- בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (benei-Yisraʾel) – Root: בן (ben) + ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Construct noun plural + proper noun; Translation: “The sons of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- אֶת־הָֽאָחֻז֙ (et-haʾaḥuz) – Root: אחז (ʾaḥaz); Form: Definite direct object marker + noun masculine singular; Translation: “The portion”; Notes: Specific reference to the share taken.
- אֶחָ֣ד (eḥad) – Root: אחד (ʾeḥad); Form: Number masculine singular; Translation: “One”; Notes: Indicates the proportion taken.
- מִן־הַחֲמִשִּׁ֔ים (min-haḥamishim) – Root: חמשׁ (ḥamesh); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural; Translation: “From the fifty”; Notes: Fractional distribution.
- מִן־הָאָדָ֖ם (min-haʾadam) – Root: אדם (adam); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “From the man”; Notes: Specifies the category of the division.
- וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֑ה (u-min-habehemah) – Root: בהמה (behemah); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “And from the beast”; Notes: Includes both people and animals.
- וַיִּתֵּ֨ן (va-yitten) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he gave”; Notes: Denotes the act of assigning.
- אֹתָ֜ם (otam) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Pronoun 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “Them”; Notes: Refers to the designated portion.
- לַלְוִיִּ֗ם (la-Leviʾim) – Root: לוי (Levi); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural; Translation: “To the Levites”; Notes: Recipients of the division.
- שֹֽׁמְרֵי֙ (shomerei) – Root: שמר (shamar); Form: Participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “Guardians of”; Notes: Indicates their role as protectors.
- מִשְׁמֶ֨רֶת֙ (mishmeret) – Root: שמר (shamar); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “The charge of”; Notes: Refers to their responsibility.
- מִשְׁכַּ֣ן (mishkan) – Root: שכן (shakan); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “The dwelling”; Notes: Refers to the Tabernacle.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name.
- כַאֲשֶׁ֛ר (kaʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “As”; Notes: Introduces a clause of comparison.
- צִוָּ֥ה (tsivvah) – Root: צוה (tsavah); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Commanded”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s instructions.
- יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Emphasizes divine authority.
- אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (et-Mosheh) – Root: משה (Moshe); Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “Moshe”; Notes: Identifies Moshe as the recipient of YHWH’s command.