וְנָתַתָּ֤ אֹותָם֙ עַל־סַ֣ל אֶחָ֔ד וְהִקְרַבְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם בַּסָּ֑ל וְאֶ֨ת־הַפָּ֔ר וְאֵ֖ת שְׁנֵ֥י הָאֵילִֽם׃
And you shall place them on one basket, and you shall bring them near in the basket, and the bull and the two rams.
Explanation of Feature
In Exodus 29:3, two related grammatical features are prominent: the use of the direct object marker אֵת (’et) and pronominal suffixes attached to it—specifically אֹותָם (’otam, “them”).
The particle אֵת is used in Biblical Hebrew to mark a definite direct object. When a pronoun serves as the direct object, it merges with a variant form of אֵת—typically אוֹת (’ot) + suffix.
Examples from Exodus 29:3
| Form | Morphemic Analysis | Function |
|---|---|---|
| אֹותָם | אוֹת (object marker) + -ם (3rd masculine plural suffix) | Marks “them” as the definite object of the verbs וְנָתַתָּ (“you shall place”) and וְהִקְרַבְתָּ (“you shall bring near”) |
| אֵת־הַפָּר | אֵת (object marker) + הַפָּר (the bull) | Marks “the bull” as a definite direct object (accusative) |
| אֵת שְׁנֵי הָאֵילִם | אֵת + שְׁנֵי (construct of “two of”) + הָאֵילִם (the rams) | Construct chain as object: “the two rams” |
Related Grammatical Insight
The object marker אֵת is:
– Used only with definite direct objects.
– Omitted when the object is indefinite (e.g., “he saw a man” = רָאָה אִישׁ).
– Inflected when referring to pronominal direct objects:
– אוֹתִי – me
– אוֹתְךָ – you (m.s.)
– אוֹתָם – them (m.)
This feature distinguishes Hebrew from many languages where word order alone marks the object. In Biblical Hebrew, אֵת helps clearly identify who receives the action, especially in complex clauses.
