Coordinated Wayyiqtol Verbs and Procedural Sequencing in Priestly Instruction

Introduction to Numbers 4:5

This verse outlines a ritual procedure to be performed by Aharon and his sons when the Israelite camp sets out. It employs a clear sequence of wayyiqtol verbs to describe actions performed in a fixed order. This grammatical structure is typical in legal and cultic texts that demand exact obedience. This lesson focuses on coordinated wayyiqtol verbs and how they function to encode procedural sequencing in Biblical Hebrew.

וּבָ֨א אַהֲרֹ֤ן וּבָנָיו֙ בִּנְסֹ֣עַ הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְהֹורִ֕דוּ אֵ֖ת פָּרֹ֣כֶת הַמָּסָ֑ךְ וְכִ֨סּוּ־בָ֔הּ אֵ֖ת אֲרֹ֥ן הָעֵדֻֽת׃

Analysis of Key Words and Structures

1. וּבָ֨א (uvaʾ) – Wayyiqtol verb from בוא (“to come”), 3ms, “And he shall come.” Refers to Aharon as the subject. The conjunction וּ־ links it to the larger procedural context.
2. אַהֲרֹ֤ן וּבָנָיו֙ (Aharon uvanav) – “Aharon and his sons.” Plural subject coordinating two noun phrases, establishing who performs the ritual actions.
3. בִּנְסֹ֣עַ הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה (binnesoʿ hammaḥaneh) – “When the camp sets out.” Temporal clause using the infinitive construct נְסֹעַ (from נסע, “to journey”) with preposition בְּ to mark time.
4. וְהֹורִ֕דוּ (vehoridu) – Wayyiqtol verb from ירד in the Hifil stem (“to take down, lower”), 3mp. Refers to the action of taking down the curtain (parokhet).
5. אֵ֖ת פָּרֹ֣כֶת הַמָּסָ֑ךְ (et parokhet hammasakh) – “The veil of the screen.” Direct object introduced by אֵת. פָּרֹכֶת (“veil”) + appositive or descriptive הַמָּסָךְ (“the screen”).
6. וְכִ֨סּוּ־בָ֔הּ (vekissu vah) – Wayyiqtol verb from כסה in the Piel stem (“to cover”), 3mp. The object suffix ־בָהּ (“with it”) refers back to the parokhet, indicating what is used for covering.
7. אֵ֖ת אֲרֹ֥ן הָעֵדֻֽת (et aron haʿedut) – “The Ark of the Testimony.” Direct object of וְכִסּוּ. Construct phrase: אֲרֹן (“ark”) + הָעֵדוּת (“the testimony”).

Procedural Use of Wayyiqtol Chains in Ritual Instruction

This verse exemplifies how Biblical Hebrew encodes ritual procedures through a sequence of wayyiqtol verbs—the consecutive imperfect form that indicates chronological progression in narrative and instructional contexts.

The key verbs in this chain are:
1. וּבָ֨א – “and he shall come” (Aharon enters)
2. וְהֹורִ֕דוּ – “and they shall take down” (the curtain)
3. וְכִ֨סּוּ – “and they shall cover” (the Ark with the curtain)

Each verb is prefixed with וְ and conjugated in the wayyiqtol form, showing temporal succession. The sequence of actions is rigid, as expected in priestly procedures.

The use of infinitive construct + prepositional phrase (בִּנְסֹ֣עַ הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה) introduces the temporal condition that triggers the action: when the camp moves, the following actions must occur.

Furthermore, the shift in subject from singular (וּבָא – “he shall come,” Aharon) to plural (וְהֹורִ֕דוּ, וְכִסּוּ – “they shall take down”/”cover,” Aharon and sons) is significant:
– It reflects the division of priestly responsibility: Aharon initiates, but the full priestly team acts.

This chain of wayyiqtol verbs enforces precision, reverence, and order in the sacred task.

How Sequential Verbs Govern Ritual Sanctity in Levitical Procedures

Numbers 4:5 demonstrates that Biblical Hebrew uses verbal sequencing not just to tell stories, but to enforce sacred order. In cultic texts, wayyiqtol chains are more than a temporal marker—they command exact obedience.

The use of:
– One action (entering),
– Followed by preparatory removal (taking down),
– Concluding in sacred concealment (covering),

…mirrors the theological concern that the Ark must not be exposed to improper handling or visibility. The parokhet, taken down and then repurposed as a cover, becomes both barrier and sanctifier.

This structured grammar reflects the structured holiness of the Tabernacle. Understanding the wayyiqtol chain here is essential for appreciating how Levitical law transforms language into liturgy, and grammar into guardianship of the holy.