| 3. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the consecutive imperfect ve-shamru {וְשָׁמְרוּ | wə-šam-rû} signaling a priestly obligation. The parallelism of mishmartkha {מִשְׁמַרְתְּךָ | miš-mar-tĕ-kā} and u-mishmeret {וּמִשְׁמֶרֶת | ū-miš-mĕ-rĕt} emphasizes both the personal and communal nature of the duty. The restriction particle akh {אַךְ | ʾakh} introduces the prohibitive clause marked by lo-yikravu {לֹא יִקְרָבוּ | lō yik-rā-vū} “they shall not come near,” specifying boundaries with el-klei ha-kodesh {אֶל־כְּלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ | ʾel-kĕ-lê ha-qō-ḏeš} and ve-el-ha-mizbeach {וְאֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ | wə-ʾel-ham-miz-bē-aḥ}. The clause ve-lo-yamutu {וְלֹא־יָמֻתוּ | wə-lō-yā-mu-tū} links noncompliance directly to death. The concluding gam-hem gam-atem {גַּם־הֵם גַּם־אַתֶּם | gam-hēm gam-ʾat-tem} reinforces mutual accountability. |