תַּ֣חַת

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 תַּ֣חַת

   TA-khat

   instead of
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 תַּ֣חַת פָּ֑צַע

   TA-khat PA-tsa

   instead of wound
3. clause🔊 כְּוִיָּה֙ תַּ֣חַת כְּוִיָּ֔ה פֶּ֖צַע תַּ֣חַת פָּ֑צַע

   ke-vi-YA TA-khat ke-vi-YA PE-tsa TA-khat PA-tsa

   burn instead of burn wound instead of wound
4. sentence🔊 כְּוִיָּה֙ תַּ֣חַת כְּוִיָּ֔ה פֶּ֖צַע תַּ֣חַת פָּ֑צַע חַבּוּרָ֕ה תַּ֖חַת חַבּוּרָֽה׃

   ke-vi-YA TA-khat ke-vi-YA PE-tsa TA-khat PA-tsa kha-bu-RA TA-khat kha-bu-RA

   burn instead of burn wound instead of wound bruise instead of bruise

Exegesis

The verse employs a triadic parallelism of nominal forms with keviyyah {כְּוִיָּה | kĕ-vîyyāh} ‘burn’, petsa {פֶּצַע | p̣êṣaʿ} ‘wound’, and chabburah {חַבּוּרָה | ḥăbbûrāh} ‘bruise’, each linked by the preposition takhat {תַּחַת | ṭaḥat} ‘under’. The absence of an explicit verb in Hebrew creates an implied normative force, supplied in English with “must” to convey obligation. The repeated structure underscores proportional justice in personal injury law.

Root and etymology

Root🔊 ת־ח־תtav–chet–tav

“under, instead of”