| 22. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the additive conjunction vegam {וְגַם | wə-gam} extending the warning to another group. The definite noun phrase hakōhanîm haniggāšîm {הַכֹּהֲנִים הַנִּגָּשִׁים | hak-kō-ha-nîm han-nig-gā-šîm} “the priests who approach” identifies those drawing near to the divine presence. The prepositional phrase ʾel Yahweh {אֶל־יְהוָה | ʾel-Yə-hō-wāh} marks movement toward God. In the formal rendering, pen {פֶּן | pen} introduces a negative purpose clause rendered “so that the LORD does not break out,” preserving the preventative intent. The Hitpael imperfect yitqaddeshu {יִתְקַדָּשׁוּ | yit-qad-dā-šû} conveys the obligation “must consecrate themselves.” The Qal imperfect yip-rōṣ {יִפְרֹץ | yip-rōṣ} depicts sudden divine action “breaks out,” with bāhēm {בָּהֶם | bā-hēm} “against them” indicating the priests as recipients. In the dynamic version, pen is rendered as the coordinating “or” to express the practical consequence “or the LORD will burst out,” while the same verbal forms yield “must make themselves holy” and “burst out” for natural clarity. |