וַ֠יֹּאמְרוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָהֵ֨מָּה֙ אֵלָ֔יו אֲנַ֥חְנוּ טְמֵאִ֖ים לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֑ם לָ֣מָּה נִגָּרַ֗ע לְבִלְתִּ֨י הַקְרִ֜ב אֶת־קָרְבַּ֤ן יְהוָה֙ בְּמֹ֣עֲדֹ֔ו בְּתֹ֖וךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And those men said to him, “We are unclean because of a human corpse. Why should we be excluded, so as not to bring the offering of YHWH at its appointed time among the children of Yisra’el?”
Morphology
- וַ֠יֹּאמְרוּ (va-yomru) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with waw consecutive; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Introduces the speech of the men.
- הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים (ha-anashim) – Root: אנש (ʾ-n-sh); Form: Masculine plural noun with definite article; Translation: “The men”; Notes: Refers to the specific group of men.
- הָהֵ֨מָּה (ha-hemmah) – Root: הוא (h-w-ʾ); Form: Masculine plural demonstrative pronoun; Translation: “Those”; Notes: Points to the men speaking.
- אֵלָ֔יו (elav) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “To him”; Notes: Refers to Moshe.
- אֲנַ֥חְנוּ (anachnu) – Root: אנחנו (ʾ-n-ḥ-n); Form: Pronoun; Translation: “We”; Notes: Refers to the speakers.
- טְמֵאִ֖ים (tme’im) – Root: טמא (ṭ-m-ʾ); Form: Masculine plural adjective; Translation: “Unclean”; Notes: Refers to their state of ritual impurity.
- לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ (le-nefesh) – Root: נפש (n-p-sh); Form: Feminine singular noun with preposition; Translation: “Because of a corpse”; Notes: Indicates the source of their impurity.
- אָדָ֑ם (adam) – Root: אדם (ʾ-d-m); Form: Masculine singular noun; Translation: “Human”; Notes: Refers to a human corpse.
- לָ֣מָּה (lammah) – Root: מה (m-h); Form: Interrogative particle with preposition; Translation: “Why”; Notes: Expresses their question.
- נִגָּרַ֗ע (niggara) – Root: גרע (g-r-ʿ); Form: Nifal imperfect 1st person plural; Translation: “Should we be excluded”; Notes: Refers to being excluded from participating.
- לְבִלְתִּ֨י (le-vilti) – Root: בל (b-l); Form: Preposition with infinitive construct; Translation: “So as not to”; Notes: Expresses the purpose of their exclusion.
- הַקְרִ֜ב (haqriv) – Root: קרב (q-r-v); Form: Hiphil infinitive construct; Translation: “To bring”; Notes: Refers to offering a sacrifice.
- אֶת־קָרְבַּ֤ן (et-qorban) – Root: קרב (q-r-v); Form: Masculine singular noun with direct object marker; Translation: “The offering”; Notes: Refers to the sacrificial offering.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (y-h-w-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the divine name.
- בְּמֹ֣עֲדֹ֔ו (be-mo’ado) – Root: יעד (y-ʿ-d); Form: Masculine singular noun with preposition and 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “At its appointed time”; Notes: Refers to the prescribed time for the offering.
- בְּתֹ֖וךְ (be-tokh) – Root: תוך (t-w-k); Form: Preposition; Translation: “Among”; Notes: Refers to their presence among the children of Yisra’el.
- בְּנֵ֥י (bnei) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Masculine plural construct noun; Translation: “The children of”; Notes: Refers to the descendants of Yisra’el.
- יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (Yisra’el) – Root: ישראל (y-s-r-ʾ-l); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisra’el”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Israel.