וּבְנֵי קְהָת עַמְרָם וְיִצְהָר וְחֶבְרֹון וְעֻזִּיאֵל וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי קְהָת שָׁלֹשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה
In the genealogical interlude of Exodus 6, nestled between divine reassurance and the unfolding drama of redemption, we encounter a passage that is often read for content alone—names, lineage, lifespan. But beneath the surface of Exodus 6:18 lies a grammatical structure so finely tuned to its narrative function that it reveals how Biblical Hebrew encodes time, continuity, and human legacy not just through verbs or numbers, but through syntax itself.
The verse reads:
> וּבְנֵי קְהָת עַמְרָם וְיִצְהָר וְחֶבְרֹון וְעֻזִּיאֵל וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי קְהָת שָׁלֹשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה
At first glance, this appears to be a standard listing of Kohath’s sons followed by his age at death. Yet within the phrase וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי קְהָת, we find a rare and revealing syntactic construction—a construct chain involving time measurement—that subtly shapes our understanding of how life and lineage are intertwined in the biblical worldview.
The Construct Chain: A Syntax of Time and Legacy
Let us isolate the key phrase:
> וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי קְהָת
This phrase translates literally as “and the years of the life of Kohath” — a way of expressing lifespan. But let’s unpack its morphology and syntax more precisely.
| Word | Root | Form | Literal Translation | Grammatical Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּשְׁנֵי | שנה (š-n-h) |
Noun, dual form, construct state (masculine plural in construct) | “and the years” | Used here in the plural because “years” denotes a collective span of time |
| חַיֵּי | חיי (ḥ-y-ḥ) | Noun, plural, construct state (“lives”, “life”) | “of the life” | Construct form used with genitive following noun |
| קְהָת | קהת (q-h-t) | Proper noun, masculine singular | “Kohath” | In absolute state, genitival complement of the previous construct chain |
What we see here is a double construct chain:
שְׁנֵי → חַיֵּי → קְהָת
Each word is in the construct state, forming a cascading possessive relationship. This kind of multi-layered construct chain is relatively rare in Biblical Hebrew and usually reserved for poetic or elevated prose. Here, however, it serves a chronometric function—marking out the temporal boundaries of a life not only numerically but also existentially.
The Poetics of Longevity: Why Not Just “וַיִּחֱי קְהָת…“?
One might expect the text to say simply:
> וַיִּחֱי קְהָת שָׁלֹשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה
> “And Kohath lived 133 years”
Indeed, this exact formula appears elsewhere in the patriarchal narratives (e.g., Genesis 5, 11). So why does Exodus 6:18 choose instead the more elaborate וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי קְהָת?
Because this form emphasizes the totality of life as an entity unto itself—not merely a duration, but a collection of experiences, relationships, and responsibilities. The double construct chain linguistically enshrines the idea that life is not just a number, but a legacy measured in years.
Moreover, this structure reflects a subtle narrative pause. In the middle of listing Kohath’s sons—עַמְרָם, וְיִצְהָר, וְחֶבְרֹון, וְעֻזִּיאֵל—the text interrupts the flow of names with a statement about the man himself. It’s as if the narrator momentarily turns from lineage to personhood, from ancestry to individuality.
The Numbers Speak: Shifting Between Construct and Predicative
Following the construct chain comes the numerical phrase:
> שָׁלֹשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה
> “Three and thirty and a hundred years”
This is the standard additive numeral construction in Biblical Hebrew, where numbers are added cumulatively without the use of modern place-value syntax. Note that שָׁנָה (“year”) is in the singular, despite referring to multiple years—a common feature in such expressions.
Crucially, while וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי קְהָת is in the construct state, the phrase שָׁלֹשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה functions as the predicative complement. That is:
– וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי קְהָת = subject
– שָׁלֹשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה = predicate
This shift from construct to predicative form mirrors the transition from abstract concept (the years of life) to concrete reality (how many years exactly). It is a linguistic echo of the human condition: life is both a mysterious continuum and a measurable quantity.
Final Reflection: When Years Bear Witness
Exodus 6:18 may seem like a dry genealogy, but its grammar sings with meaning. Through the construct chain וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי קְהָת, the verse elevates the act of recording lifespan into a form of sacred historiography. Each year becomes a thread in the tapestry of legacy; each name, a bearer of memory and mission.
In Biblical Hebrew, to live is to be counted—not just numerically, but narratively. And in the precise placement of prepositions, suffixes, and syntactic shifts, we hear the quiet testimony of a language that believes every life matters—and that every generation must carry forward the weight and wonder of those who came before.
Thus, when we read וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי קְהָת, we do not merely learn how long he lived. We are reminded that his years were not empty—they were filled with sons, with service, with stories. And in their telling, they become eternal.