Leviticus 16:2

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

and Jehovah said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה דַּבֵּר֮ אֶל־אַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִיךָ֒ וְאַל־יָבֹ֤א בְכָל־עֵת֙ אֶל־הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ מִבֵּ֖ית לַפָּרֹ֑כֶת אֶל־פְּנֵ֨י הַכַּפֹּ֜רֶת אֲשֶׁ֤ר עַל־הָאָרֹן֙ וְלֹ֣א יָמ֔וּת כִּ֚י בֶּֽעָנָ֔ן אֵרָאֶ֖ה עַל־הַכַּפֹּֽרֶת׃

Transliteration

wə-yōʾmer YHWH ʾel-mōšeh, dabbēr ʾel-ʾahărōn ʾāḥîkā wə-ʾal-yābōʾ bə-kol-ʿēt ʾel-ha-qōdeš mi-bêt la-pārōket ʾel-pənê ha-kappōret ʾăšer ʿal-hā-ʾārōn wə-lōʾ yāmût kî be-ʿānān ʾērāʾeh ʿal-ha-kappōret

Grammar Details

• *wə-yōʾmer*: conjunction + Qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he said
• *YHWH*: proper noun, divine name
• *ʾel*: preposition - to, toward
• *mōšeh*: proper noun, masculine singular - Moses
• *dabbēr*: Piel imperative, masculine singular - speak, tell
• *ʾahărōn*: proper noun, masculine singular - Aaron
• *ʾāḥîkā*: noun, masculine singular with 2nd masculine singular suffix - your brother
• *wə-ʾal*: conjunction + negative particle - and not
• *yābōʾ*: Qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular, jussive - let him come, he should come
• *bə-kol*: preposition + noun, construct - in all/any
• *ʿēt*: noun, feminine singular - time
• *ha-qōdeš*: definite article + noun, masculine singular - the holy place
• *mi-bêt*: preposition + noun, construct - from inside, within
• *la-pārōket*: preposition + definite article + noun, feminine singular - to/before the veil/curtain
• *pənê*: noun, masculine plural construct - face of, surface of
• *ha-kappōret*: definite article + noun, feminine singular - the mercy seat/cover
• *ʾăšer*: relative particle - which, that
• *ʿal*: preposition - upon, over
• *hā-ʾārōn*: definite article + noun, masculine singular - the ark
• *wə-lōʾ*: conjunction + negative particle - and not
• *yāmût*: Qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - he will die
• *kî*: conjunction - for, because
• *be-ʿānān*: preposition + noun, masculine singular - in/with/by cloud
• *ʾērāʾeh*: Niphal imperfect, 1st common singular - I will appear/be seen

Word Meanings

• *wə-yōʾmer*: said, spoke, commanded
• *dabbēr*: speak, tell, command
• *ʾal*: negative command marker - do not
• *yābōʾ*: come, enter, approach
• *qōdeš*: holy place, sanctuary, sacred area
• *pārōket*: veil, curtain, partition
• *pənê*: face, surface, presence
• *kappōret*: mercy seat, cover, atonement cover
• *ʾārōn*: ark, chest, box
• *yāmût*: die, perish
• *ʿānān*: cloud, smoke, vapor
• *ʾērāʾeh*: appear, be seen, reveal myself

Referenced Verses

• Exod 30:10 : 10 And Aaron shall make atonement upon the horns of it once in the year; with the blood of the sin-offering of atonement once in the year shall he make atonement for it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto Jehovah.
• 1 Kgs 8:10-12 : 10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of Jehovah, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of Jehovah filled the house of Jehovah. 12 Then spake Solomon, Jehovah hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
• Heb 9:25 : 25 nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place year by year with blood not his own;
• Heb 10:19-20 : 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
• Exod 40:34-35 : 34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Jehovah filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of meeting, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of Jehovah filled the tabernacle.
• Lev 8:35 : 35 And at the door of the tent of meeting shall ye abide day and night seven days, and keep the charge of Jehovah, that ye die not: for so I am commanded.
• Lev 16:13 : 13 and he shall put the incense upon the fire before Jehovah, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:
• Lev 23:27 : 27 Howbeit on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
• Num 4:19 : 19 but thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden;
• Num 17:10 : 10 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that thou mayest make an end of their murmurings against me, that they die not.
• 1 Kgs 8:6 : 6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Jehovah unto its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.
• Exod 40:20-21 : 20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy-seat above upon the ark: 21 and he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the testimony; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
• Exod 25:17-22 : 17 And thou shalt make a mercy-seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 18 And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold; of beaten work shalt thou make them, at the two ends of the mercy-seat. 19 And make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end: of one piece with the mercy-seat shall ye make the cherubim on the two ends thereof. 20 And the cherubim shall spread out their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy-seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. 21 And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
• Exod 26:33-34 : 33 And thou shalt hang up the veil under the clasps, and shalt bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony: and the veil shall separate unto you between the holy place and the most holy. 34 And thou shalt put the mercy-seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.
• 2 Chr 5:14 : 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of Jehovah filled the house of God.
• Matt 27:51 : 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake; and the rocks were rent;
• Heb 4:14-16 : 14 Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we have not a high priest that {G1410} cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted {G3987} like as [we are, yet] without sin. 16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help [us] in time of need.
• Heb 9:3 : 3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holy of holies;
• Heb 9:7-8 : 7 but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offereth for himself, and for the errors of the people: 8 the Holy Spirit this signifying, that the way into the holy place hath not yet been made manifest, while the first tabernacle is yet standing;