| 14. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the verb vayitqaddeshu {וַיִּֽתְקַדְּשׁ֔וּ | vayitqaddeshu} ‘and they consecrated themselves’, a Hitpael imperfect with vav consecutive that expresses a reflexive purification. The coordinated subject ha-qohanim ve-ha-leviyim {הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם | ha-qohanim ve-ha-leviyim} ‘the priests and the Levites’ pairs two cultic groups. The infinitive le-haʿalot {לְהַעֲל֕וֹת | le-haʿalot} ‘to bring up’, a Hiphil infinitive construct, marks purpose. The direct object marker et {אֶת־ | et} precedes its head noun ʾaron {אֲר֥וֹן | ʾārôn} ‘ark’, highlighting its centrality. The construct chain Yahweh elohê yiśrāʾēl {יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל | Yahweh ʾelōhê yiśrāʾēl} ‘the LORD, the God of Israel’ foregrounds covenant identity by placing the personal name before the generic title. |