| 7. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the coordinated subjects ve-attah u-vaneikha {וְאַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ | wə-’aṭ-ṭā-hā ū-wā-nē-ḥā} ‘and you and your sons’, establishing exclusive priestly responsibility. The verb tishmeru {תִּשְׁמְרוּ | tiš-mə-rū} in the imperfect indicates ongoing obligation. The compound prepositional phrase le-khol-devar ha-mizbeach u-le-beit la-parochet {לְכָל־דְּבַר הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וּלְמִבֵּית לַפָּרֹכֶת | lə-ḵōl-də-var ha-miz-bē-aḥ ū-lə-mi-bēt la-pā-rō-khet} delineates two zones of service: the altar (sacrificial sphere) and the sanctuary behind the veil (inner sanctum). The sequence va-avadetem eten {וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֶתֵּן | va-‛a-vəkə-ḏə-təm ’et-tên} combines a Qal perfect assertion of service with an imperfect grant, framing divine commissioning. The noun avodat mattanah {עֲבֹדַת מַתָּנָה | ‛a-vō-ḏat ma-tā-nā} functions as an appositional genitive, highlighting the service as a gift. The final clause ve-hazar ha-karev yumat {וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָֽת | wə-hā-zār ha-qā-rēḇ yū-māṯ} uses the Hophal imperfect for passive authority, enforcing exclusion by death for unauthorized approach, reinforcing communal and holy boundaries. |