| 7. Linguistic Exegesis The verse exhibits two vav-consecutive verbs, ve-khibbes {וְכִבֶּס | wə-ḵibbés} “wash” and ve-rachatz {וְרָחַץ | wə-ra-ḥáṣ} “bathe,” establishing a sequential purification ritual. The construct sequence be-gadav {בְּגָדָ֜יו | bə-ḡāˈdāyw} “his garments” and be-sar-o {בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ | bə-śārô} “his flesh” specifies the objects of cleansing. The temporal clause ve-achar ya-vo {וְאַחַ֖ר יָב֣וֹא | wə-ḥa-rár yā-vōʾ} links the purification to the priest’s return, and el-ha-machaneh {אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה | ʾel-ham-ma-ḥa-nêh} “into the camp” marks restoration to communal space. The final clause ve-tame ha-kohen ad-ha-arev {וְטָמֵ֥א הַכֹּהֵ֖ן עַד־הָעָֽרֶב | wə-ṭā-mēʾ ha-kōhén ʿad-hā-ʿā-rêv} “and unclean the priest until evening” underscores the enduring state of ritual impurity despite washing, with ad-ha-arev serving as a clear temporal boundary. |