Numbers 8:18

וָאֶקַּח֙ אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֔ם תַּ֥חַת כָּל־בְּכֹ֖ור בִּבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

And I took the Levites instead of every firstborn among the children of Yisra’el.

Morphology

1. וָאֶקַּח֙ (va-eqqaḥ) – Root: לקח (l-q-ḥ); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular with waw consecutive; Translation: “And I took”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s action of taking the Levites.
2. אֶת־ (et) – Root: את (ʾ-t); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: No translation; Notes: Marks “the Levites” as the direct object.
3. הַלְוִיִּ֔ם (ha-Levi’im) – Root: לוי (l-w-y); Form: Masculine plural noun with definite article; Translation: “The Levites”; Notes: Refers to the tribe assigned for divine service.
4. תַּ֥חַת (taḥat) – Root: תחת (ṭ-ḥ-t); Form: Preposition; Translation: “Instead of”; Notes: Indicates substitution.
5. כָּל־ (kol) – Root: כל (k-l); Form: Noun, construct; Translation: “Every”; Notes: Refers to the entirety of the firstborn.
6. בְּכֹ֖ור (bekhor) – Root: בכר (b-k-r); Form: Masculine singular noun; Translation: “Firstborn”; Notes: Refers to the first offspring of humans and animals.
7. בִּבְנֵ֥י (bi-bnei) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Preposition with masculine plural construct noun; Translation: “Among the children of”; Notes: Refers to the descendants of Yisra’el.
8. יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (Yisra’el) – Root: ישראל (y-s-r-ʾ-l); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisra’el”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Israel.