| 3. Linguistic Exegesis The command opens with the prefixed vav in v’et {וְאֵת | və-ʾêṯ}, marking the direct object. The verb tiktov {תִּכְתֹּב | tik-tōḇ} (Qal imperfect) conveys the primary injunction. The construct phrase al matteh Levi {עַל־מַטֵּה לֵוִי | ʿal mattēh Lēwî} indicates placement and tribal association. The conjunction ki {כִּי | kî} introduces the causal rationale, leading to matteh echad le-rosh beit avotam {מַטֵּה אֶחָד לְרֹאשׁ בֵּית אֲבֹתָם | mattēh ’eḥāḏ lə-rôš bêt ’ăvôtām}, which specifies that one staff is allotted per tribal head. The compound beit avotam underscores ancestral lineage. The translation preserves Hebrew sequencing to maintain the command’s emphatic and organizational structure. |