Exodus 28:9

Summary

The verse instructs the taking of two onyx stones and the engraving upon them of the names of the sons of Israel. It is a direct continuation of a narrative sequence of instructions using sequential verb forms.

Key words

• La.kach.ta ("you will take", H3947G) — qal sequential perfect, second person masculine singular; continues a chain of commands begun earlier in the passage, functioning as "and you shall take."
• 'av.nei- ("stones of", H0068G) — feminine plural construct, linked to Sho.ham ("onyx", H7718) to form the phrase "stones of onyx," i.e., onyx stones.
• fi.tach.Ta ("you will engrave", H6605B) — piel sequential perfect, second person masculine singular; the piel stem marks an intensive or effective action, appropriate for the physical act of carving/engraving.
• she.Mot ("[the] names of", H8034) — feminine plural construct, governing be.Nei Yis.ra.'El ("sons of Israel", H1121A + H3478) in a construct chain: "names of the sons of Israel."
• be.Nei ("sons of", H1121A) — masculine plural construct, forming with Yis.ra.'El the standard construct phrase denoting the Israelite tribal ancestors by name.

What the text says

The verse opens with the narrative vav ve (H9001) attached to La.kach.ta, marking this as the next step in a sequence of instructions rather than an isolated command. The sequential perfect form here functions as a future/imperative continuation: "and you shall take." The object is introduced by the untranslated marker 'et (H0853), followed by the numeral she.Tei ("two", H8147) in dual feminine form, agreeing with the feminine noun 'av.nei ("stones of", H0068G) in construct with Sho.ham ("onyx", H7718) — literally "two stones of onyx."

A second narrative vav introduces fi.tach.Ta ("you will engrave", H6605B), a piel sequential perfect, continuing the same instructional chain. The piel stem intensifies the action, fitting the labor of engraving into hard stone. The prepositional phrase 'a.lei-Hem ("on them", H5921A + H9038) specifies the location of the engraving — upon the two onyx stones just mentioned. The final construct chain she.Mot be.Nei Yis.ra.'El ("names of the sons of Israel") identifies what is to be engraved: the names of Israel's sons, expressed through a double construct relationship (names of / sons of / Israel).

Differences between versions

The LXX renders Sho.ham ("onyx", H7718) as σμαράγδου ("emerald"), differing from the Hebrew term for onyx. The Vulgate follows the Hebrew sense with "lapides onychinos" ("onyx stones"). The SBLIBRE translation renders be.Nei Yis.ra.'El as "las tribus de Israel" ("the tribes of Israel") rather than the more literal "sons of Israel" found in the Hebrew construct chain and preserved in RV1909 and BSB.