וְהִשִּׂ֤יאוּ אֹותָם֙ עֲוֹ֣ן אַשְׁמָ֔ה בְּאָכְלָ֖ם אֶת־קָדְשֵׁיהֶ֑ם כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה מְקַדְּשָֽׁם׃
Leviticus 22:16 forms part of the priestly code, warning against improper participation in sacred offerings. At its center is the verb וְהִשִּׂיאוּ—a Hifil form of נ־שׂ־א, commonly rendered “to cause to bear” or “to make bear.” Here it functions causatively: they cause others (non-priests or the unclean) to bear guilt by allowing them to eat sanctified offerings illegitimately. This grammatical construction joins the themes of sanctity, transgression, and priestly responsibility in a single syntactic arc.
Literal Translation
“And they shall cause them to bear the guilt of trespass when they eat their holy things, for I am the LORD who sanctifies them.”
Word-by-Word Morphology
- וְהִשִּׂיאוּ (wəhissīʾū) –
Root: נ־שׂ־א;
Form: Hifil perfect 3mp with vav;
Translation: “and they shall cause [them] to bear”;
Notes: Causative: “they cause others to incur guilt” - אֹותָם (ʾōtām) –
Root: – ;
Form: direct object marker + 3mp suffix;
Translation: “them” - עֲוֹ֣ן אַשְׁמָ֔ה (ʿăwōn ʾashmāh) –
Root: ע־ו־ן, א־שׁ־ם;
Form: construct noun + absolute noun;
Translation: “guilt of trespass”;
Notes: Strengthened construct; dual emphasis on legal and moral fault. - בְּאָכְלָ֖ם (bəʾāḵlām) –
Root: א־כ־ל;
Form: preposition + Qal infinitive construct + 3mp suffix;
Translation: “in their eating” or “when they eat” - אֶת־קָדְשֵׁיהֶם (ʾet-qodshêhem) –
Root: ק־ד־ש;
Form: direct object marker + construct plural + 3mp suffix;
Translation: “their holy things” (i.e., sacred offerings) - כִּ֛י (kī) –
Root: – ;
Form: causal conjunction;
Translation: “for / because” - אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה (ʾănī YHWH) –
Root: – ;
Form: pronoun + divine name;
Translation: “I am the LORD” - מְקַדְּשָֽׁם (məqaddəshām) –
Root: ק־ד־ש;
Form: Piel participle ms + 3mp suffix;
Translation: “who sanctifies them”;
Notes: Refers to God as the one who consecrates the people or the offerings.
The Hifil of נשׂא: Bearing and Causing to Bear
The verb נָשָׂא in the Qal stem means “to lift, carry, or bear.” But in the Hifil stem, as used here (וְהִשִּׂיאוּ), it becomes causative: “to cause someone to bear.” In legal contexts, this often implies imposing guilt or responsibility on someone else. The syntax here suggests priestly negligence: by failing to protect sacred boundaries, the priests cause others to incur divine guilt.
This is not merely moral but cultic guilt—עֲוֹן אַשְׁמָה—a trespass offense tied to sancta, punishable by divine retribution (cf. Leviticus 5:14–19).
When Sanctity Is Mishandled
The phrase בְּאָכְלָם אֶת־קָדְשֵׁיהֶם pinpoints the issue: unauthorized or unworthy individuals eating the holy offerings. The priests are charged with safeguarding sacred space and access. Allowing laypeople or the unclean to eat these offerings transfers guilt not only to the offenders but also—grammatically and theologically—to the negligent intermediaries.
This explains the need for the concluding clause: כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה מְקַדְּשָֽׁם. God is the sanctifier—He sets the boundaries. Violation of those boundaries is not ritual error; it is a breach of divine order.
Grammar as Guardianship
Leviticus 22:16 portrays a priestly failure through the lens of causative syntax. The subject is not the sinner who eats, but the one who causes the sin to occur. The Hifil stem places agency and blame squarely on the religious authority. And in doing so, it reinforces the broader Levitical theology: that holiness is not only given but must be guarded—grammatically and spiritually.
