| 5. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav-conversive in ushmartem {וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֗ם | ūšmartem} ‘and you shall keep,’ converting the Qal perfect into an imperative-like command directed to the priests. Two occurrences of the direct object marker et {אֵת | ʾēṯ} introduce parallel constructs: mishmeret hakodesh {מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ | mišmereṯ haqqōdeš} ‘duty of the sanctuary’ and mishmeret hamizbeach {מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ | mišmereṯ hammizbēaḥ} ‘duty of the altar,’ underscoring the dual focus of cultic responsibility. The conditional result clause is signaled by velo yihyeh od ketsef {וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה עוֹד קֶצֶף | wə-lōʾ yiḥyēh ʿōḏ qeṣep̄} ‘that there will not be again wrath,’ which defines the desired outcome of faithful service. The prepositional phrase al-benei yisrael {עַל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל | ʿal-bənê yiśrāʼēl} ‘upon the sons of Israel’ specifies the communal recipients of divine discipline. The coordination and vav-consecutive structures emphasize continuous vigilance and covenantal accountability. |