| 19. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the universal quantifier kol {כָּל | kōl} ‘all,’ establishing comprehensiveness. It continues with the construct chain arei {עָרֵי | ʿā-rê} ‘cities of’ + benei {בְּנֵי | bə-nê} ‘sons of’ + Aharon {אַהֲרֹן | ʾa-ha-rōn} ‘Aaron’ + hak-kôhănim {הַכֹּהֲנִים | ha-kō-ha-nîm} ‘the priests,’ forming a genitival expression that identifies the recipients. The compound numeral šəlōšʿ-ʿeśrê {שְׁלֹשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה | šəlōšʿ-ʿeśrê} ‘thirteen’ agrees in gender and number with arim {עָרִים | ʿā-rîm} ‘cities.’ The conjunctive phrase ū-mig-rə-šê-hen {וּמִגְרְשֵׁיהֶן | ū-mig-rə-šê-hen} ‘and their pasturelands’ closes the direct object. Hebrew word order foregrounds lineage and function before stating the quantity, and the final mention of pasturelands underscores the integral land provision for the priesthood. |