הַמַּטּ֖וֹת

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 הַמַּטּ֖וֹת

   ham-ma-TOT

   of the tribes
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 אֲב֥וֹת הַמַּטּ֖וֹת

   a-VOT ham-ma-TOT

   of the fathers of the tribes
3. clause🔊 וְאֶל־רָאשֵׁ֛י אֲב֥וֹת הַמַּטּ֖וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

   ve-el-ra-SHEI a-VOT ham-ma-TOT liv-NEI yis-ra-EL

   and to the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel
4. sentence🔊 וַֽיִּגְּשׁוּ֗ רָאשֵׁי֙ אֲב֣וֹת הַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֶל־אֶלְעָזָר֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְאֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בִּן־נ֑וּן וְאֶל־רָאשֵׁ֛י אֲב֥וֹת הַמַּטּ֖וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

   va-yig-SHU ra-SHEI a-VOT hal-vi-YIM el-el-a-ZAR ha-ko-HEN ve-el-ye-ho-SHU-a bin-NUN ve-el-ra-SHEI a-VOT ham-ma-TOT liv-NEI yis-ra-EL

   then approached the heads of the fathers of the Levites to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua son of Nun and to the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel

Exegesis

Each prepositional phrase el ’ĕləʿāzār {אֶל־אֶלְעָזָר֙ | ʾel ’ĕləʿāzār} ‘to Eleazar,’ wəʾel Yəhōšūaʿ {וְאֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ | wəʾel Yəhōšūaʿ} ‘and to Joshua,’ and wəʾel rōšê ăvôt hammattôṯ livnē Yiśrāʾēl {וְאֶל־רָאשֵׁ֛י אֲב֥וֹת הַמַּטּ֖וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל | wəʾel rōšê ăvôt hammattôṯ livnē Yiśrāʾēl} ‘and to the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel’ sequences the addressees. The repetition of the preposition ʾel ‘to’ underscores the formal audience structure, reflecting Hebrew’s layered emphasis on collective leadership.