וַיִּֽתְחַטְּא֣וּ הַלְוִיִּ֗ם וַֽיְכַבְּסוּ֙ בִּגְדֵיהֶ֔ם וַיָּ֨נֶף אַהֲרֹ֥ן אֹתָ֛ם תְּנוּפָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיְכַפֵּ֧ר עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם אַהֲרֹ֖ן לְטַהֲרָֽם׃
(Numbers 8:21)
And the Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes, and Aaron waved them as a wave offering before the LORD; and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them.
Word-by-Word Explanation
- וַיִּתְחַטְּאוּ — “and they purified themselves.” Hitpael stem (reflexive) of חָטָא (“to sin, to purify”), imperfect with vav consecutive. Subject: “the Levites.”
- הַלְוִיִּם — “the Levites.” Noun with definite article הַ.
- וַיְכַבְּסוּ — “and they washed.” Piel imperfect with vav consecutive from כָּבַס (“to wash clothing”).
- בִּגְדֵיהֶם — “their garments.” From בֶּגֶד (“garment, clothing”) + plural + suffix -הֶם (“their”).
- וַיָּנֶף — “and he waved.” Hifil imperfect with vav consecutive from נוּף (“to wave, move back and forth”).
- אַהֲרֹן — “Aaron.” Subject of the verb.
- אֹתָם — “them.” Direct object marker with 3rd masculine plural suffix.
- תְּנוּפָה — “a wave offering.” Technical ritual noun.
- לִפְנֵי יְהוָה — “before the LORD.” Preposition לִפְנֵי (“before, in the presence of”) + divine name.
- וַיְכַפֵּר — “and he made atonement.” Piel imperfect with vav consecutive from כָּפַר (“to cover, atone”).
- עֲלֵיהֶם — “for them / on their behalf.” Preposition עַל + suffix -הֶם.
- אַהֲרֹן — “Aaron.” Repeated subject.
- לְטַהֲרָם — “to cleanse them.” Infinitive construct טָהֵר (“to be clean, to purify”) with prefix לְ (“to”) + suffix -ם (“them”).
Word Order and Sentence Flow
This verse uses a chain of waw-consecutive verbs, each pushing the action forward like a drumbeat of ritual steps:
- וַיִּתְחַטְּאוּ — the Levites purify themselves.
- וַיְכַבְּסוּ — they wash their clothes.
- וַיָּנֶף אַהֲרֹן — Aaron waves them as a wave offering.
- וַיְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם אַהֲרֹן — Aaron makes atonement for them.
- לְטַהֲרָם — purpose: to cleanse them fully.
Notice how Hebrew often begins with the verb, creating an action-oriented sequence. Each verb builds on the last until the purification is complete.
Ritual Flow Chart
| Step | Hebrew | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | וַיִּתְחַטְּאוּ | Levites purify themselves |
| 2 | וַיְכַבְּסוּ בִּגְדֵיהֶם | They wash their clothes |
| 3 | וַיָּנֶף אַהֲרֹן אֹתָם תְּנוּפָה | Aaron waves them before the LORD |
| 4 | וַיְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם | Aaron makes atonement |
| 5 | לְטַהֲרָם | Purpose: to cleanse them |
How the Sentence Works (Beginner’s View)
- Waw-consecutive verbs (וַיִּתְחַטְּאוּ, וַיְכַבְּסוּ, וַיָּנֶף, וַיְכַפֵּר) show a series of past actions, the backbone of Hebrew narrative.
- Reflexive action: וַיִּתְחַטְּאוּ is Hitpael, meaning they acted on themselves — “they purified themselves.”
- Purpose clause: לְטַהֲרָם (“to cleanse them”) shows the goal of the whole process.
Hebrew Unlocked!
By working through this verse, you’ve followed Hebrew verbs in a chain of ritual acts: purification, washing, waving, atonement, cleansing. You’ve learned how the waw-consecutive drives the story forward and how suffixes personalize each step. You’ve just traced the Levites’ dedication in Hebrew itself — a powerful step in reading Scripture in its own voice!
“Every time you follow a Hebrew verb step by step, you’re watching the sacred story unfold in its original rhythm.”
