וְכָל־דָּם֙ לֹ֣א תֹאכְל֔וּ בְּכֹ֖ל מֹושְׁבֹתֵיכֶ֑ם לָעֹ֖וף וְלַבְּהֵמָֽה׃
(Leviticus 7:26)
Clause Layout and Logical Flow
This verse is a prohibitive command composed of a negated verbal clause followed by a distributive spatial phrase and a dual object of scope. Its structure articulates an absolute prohibition applicable across all Israelite settlements:
- וְכָל־דָּם לֹא תֹאכְלוּ — Main prohibitive clause (“you shall not eat any blood”)
- בְּכֹל מֹושְׁבֹתֵיכֶם — Prepositional phrase limiting the command to all dwelling places
- לָעֹוף וְלַבְּהֵמָה — Disjunctive phrase qualifying which types of blood are included (birds and beasts)
Syntactic Features and Highlights
| Phrase | Syntactic Role | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| וְכָל־דָּם | Subject (fronted) | Definite noun with כָּל emphasizes the totality of the prohibition. Fronted for focus. |
| לֹא תֹאכְלוּ | Negative verbal clause | לא + imperfect indicates a prohibitive command (second person plural). |
| בְּכֹל מֹושְׁבֹתֵיכֶם | Locative prepositional phrase | Extends the prohibition universally across all Israelite settlements. |
| לָעֹוף וְלַבְּהֵמָה | Object of the prohibition | Dative markers highlight to whom the blood belongs—bird or beast—underscoring the breadth of species involved. |
The Syntax of Sacred Space
This verse functions syntactically like a legal decree. The negated imperfect projects an open-ended, ongoing force. The fronting of the object (כָּל־דָּם) intensifies the seriousness of the ban, and the scope clause (בְּכֹל מֹושְׁבֹתֵיכֶם) removes any local exemption.
The dative marking in לָעֹוף וְלַבְּהֵמָה might seem odd (as these aren’t indirect objects), but it likely expresses category: “blood that pertains to birds or beasts,” a known idiom of classification in Biblical Hebrew.
Why Syntax Matters Here
The layering of universal expressions—“all blood”, “all your dwellings”, “for bird and beast”—shows syntactic repetition reinforcing theological absoluteness. In priestly texts, the syntax is a liturgy of law: rhythmic, exhaustive, and immutable. The prohibition is not only stated, but structured to be unforgettable.