| 18. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav-consecutive construction wayyāśem {וַיָּשֶׂם֩ | wayyāśem} ‘and he set,’ driving the narrative forward. The construct chain pəqûḏōṯ bēt {פְּקֻדֹּת בֵּ֣ית | pəqûḏōṯ bēt} ‘oversight of the house’ defines the domain of authority. The prepositional phrase bə-yāḏ ha-kōhănīm haləwîyîm {בְּיַד הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם֮ | bə-yāḏ ha-kōhănīm haləwîyîm} ‘in the hands of the priests and the Levites’ marks the transfer of responsibility. The relative clause ʾăšer ḥālaq dāwiḏ {אֲשֶׁר חָלַק דָּוִיד֮ | ʾăšer ḥālaq dāwiḏ} ‘whom David had assigned’ specifies the appointment. The infinitive lə-haʿālōṯ ʿōlōṯ Yahweh {לְֽהַעֲלֹת עֹל֣וֹת יְהוָ֗ה | lə-haʿālōṯ ʿōlōṯ Yahweh} ‘to offer burnt offerings of the LORD’ indicates purpose. The phrase ka-kāṯōḇ bə-tōrāṯ mōšeh {כַּכָּת֛וּב בְּתוֹרַ֥ת מֹשֶׁ֖ה | ka-kāṯōḇ bə-tōrāṯ mōšeh} ‘as it is written in the Law of Moses’ appeals to scriptural authority. The adjuncts bə-simḥāh ū-bə-šîr {בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְּשִׁיר֑ | bə-simḥāh ū-bə-šîr} ‘with joy and with song’ convey the celebratory setting, and the final clause ʿal yəḏê dāwiḏ {עַ֖ל יְדֵ֥י דָוִֽיד׃ | ʿal yəḏê dāwiḏ} ‘according to David’s instructions’ ties the ritual to David’s temple order. The translation preserves the Hebrew clause sequence and highlights the purpose-result relationships within the ritual context. |