| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with vayedabber {וַיְדַבֵּר | vā-ye-ḏe-bēr}, employing the vav-consecutive Piel imperfect to introduce divine speech. The speaker is then named as Yahweh {יְהוָה | Yə-hō-wāh}. The phrase va’ani hinneh natati lekha {וַאֲנִי הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי לְךָ} ‘and I—behold—I have given to you’ uses the emphatic hinneh {הִנֵּה | hin-nêh} to stress intentionality before natati {נָתַתִּי | nā-ṯa-tî}. Aaron’s charge is indicated by the direct-object marker et mishmeret {אֶת־מִשְׁמֶرֶת | ʼet miš-me-reṯ}, specifying mishmeret ‘responsibility,’ with terumotai {תְּרוּמֹתָ֑י | tərû-mō-tā-î} ‘my offerings’ defining its object. The chained construct lekhol kodshei bnei Yisrael {לְכָל־קָדְשֵׁי בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל | lə-ḵāl qā-ḏă-šê bə-nê Yis-rā-ʼēl} delineates the scope of the sacred gifts. The repetition of netatim {נְתַתִּים | nə-ṯa-ṯîm} ‘I have given them’ emphasizes divine bestowal, while lemashcha {לְמָשְׁחָה | lə-mā-šā-ḥā} ‘priestly due’ marks the hereditary entitlement for the consecrated priesthood. Finally, ulevanekha lekhok olam {וּלְבָנֶ֖יךָ לְחָק־עוֹלָם | ū-lə-ḇā-ne-ḵā lə-ḥāq ʼō-lām} presents this grant as a perpetual hereditary statute, underscoring enduring priestly authority. |