| 15. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with kol {כָּל | kol} ‘every’ as a universal quantifier, immediately followed by the construct phrase peter rechem {פֶּ֣טֶר רֶ֠חֶם | pe-ter re-chem} ‘opener of the womb’ specifying firstborn status. The genitive expression le-kol-basar {לְֽכָל־בָּשָׂ֞ר | le-kol ba-sar} ‘to every flesh’ extends the category to humans and animals. The relative clause a-sher-yak-ri-vu {אֲשֶׁר־יַקְרִ֧יבוּ | a-sher yak-ri-vu} ‘which they bring near’ defines those dedicated. The paired prepositional phrases ba-a-dam {בָּאָדָ֥ם | ba-a-dam} and u-va-bhe-ma {וּבַבְּהֵמָ֖ה | u-va-bhe-ma} create a merism that underscores inclusivity. The idiom yi-hye-LAKH {יִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֑ךְ | yi-hye-LAKH} ‘shall be for you’ marks priestly entitlement. The emphatic infinitive absolute padah {פָּדֹ֣ה | pa-DOH} plus imperfect tifdeh {תִפְדֶּ֗ה | tif-DEH} intensify the command ‘you shall surely redeem.’ Direct object markers et {אֵ֚ת | ET} and ve-et {וְאֵ֛ת | ve-ET} clarify the objects bechor {בְּכ֣וֹר | be-KHOR} ‘firstborn’ in the compound bechor-habehemah {בְּכֽוֹר־הַבְּהֵמָ֥ה | be-khor-ha-bhe-MA} modified by ha-tme-AH {הַטְּמֵאָ֖ה | ha-tme-AH} ‘the unclean.’ English word order preserves the Hebrew emphasis on dedication, entitlement, and redemption. |