Numbers 31:29

Summary

The verse instructs that a portion be taken from "their half" (referring to the share previously divided) and given to Eleazar the priest, designated as a terumat ("contribution/offering", H8641) belonging to Yehovah (H3068).

Key words

• machatzitam ("half of them", H4276) — feminine singular construct noun with the pronominal suffix -am ("their," m.), forming "half of them"; the construct state links it to an implied group whose half is meant.
• tikkachu ("you will take", H3947) — qal imperfect, plural form, addressing multiple recipients of the command; the imperfect aspect marks it as an action to be carried out, not yet completed at the moment of speech.
• venatatah ("and you will give", H5414) — qal sequential perfect (vav-consecutive), singular form; the shift from plural tikkachu to singular venatatah narrows the addressee, indicating one person specifically performs the giving.
• terumat ("contribution of", H8641) — feminine singular construct noun, joined to Yehovah in the following word; construct chains like this mean "the terumah belonging to X."
• Eleazar ha-kohen ("Eleazar the priest", H0499 + H3548) — proper name plus definite common noun, identifying the specific recipient by name and office.

What the text says

The Hebrew sentence moves through two verbal forms with different grammatical subjects in person/number. Tikkachu is second person masculine plural imperfect — "you all shall take" — addressed to a collective group (likely those handling the division mentioned in surrounding context). The verb then shifts to venatatah, a singular sequential perfect that continues the narrative chain but narrows to one individual, "and you (singular) shall give." This grammatical shift from plural to singular is visible in the Hebrew morphology but not always preserved distinctly in translation.

The object of the giving, terumat Yehovah, is a construct chain: literally "contribution/offering of Yehovah." The construct form terumat (rather than the absolute terumah) grammatically binds the noun to the following name, expressing possession or dedication — the offering belongs to or is designated for Yehovah. The recipient, Eleazar ha-kohen, is specified with the definite article on "priest," identifying him not generically but as the priest in his official role.

Differences between versions

The Vulgate (VULCLEM) omits the initial clause about taking from the half, jumping directly to giving it to Eleazar, and renders terumat Yehovah as "primitiae Domini" ("firstfruits of the Lord") rather than "contribution/offering." The LXX preserves both clauses, translating terumat as aparchas ("first-portions"), differing from the Hebrew terumah, which more broadly denotes a "contribution" or "heave offering" rather than specifically "firstfruits."