| 14. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav consecutive verb vayeshev {וַיֵּשֶׁב֩ | wayyēšeb} ‘and it remained’, indicating sequential narrative action. The phrase aron ha-Elohim {אֲר֨וֹן הָאֱלֹהִ֜ים | ʾārōn hāʾĕlōhîm} ‘ark of God’ serves as the subject. The prepositional complex im-bêyt ʿōvēḏ-ʾĕḏōm bəbêytô {עִם־בֵּ֨ית עֹבֵ֥ד אֱדֹ֛ם בְּבֵית֖וֹ | ʿim-bêyt ʿōvēḏ-ʾĕḏōm bəbêytô} ‘with the household of Obed-Edom in his house’ sets the location, while the temporal expression šəlōšāh ḥōḏāšîm {שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה חֳדָשִׁ֑ים | šəlōšāh ḥōḏāšîm} ‘three months’ specifies duration. The second clause employs the vav consecutive Piel wayyǝḇārēk {וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ | wayyǝḇārēk} ‘and he blessed’, with Yahweh {יְהוָ֛ה | Yəhōwāh} as the agent over the coordinated objects ʾeṯ-bêṯ-ʿōvēḏ-ʾĕḏōm {אֶת־בֵּ֥ית עֹבֵֽד־אֱדֹ֖ם | ʾeṯ-bêṯ-ʿōvēḏ-ʾĕḏōm} ‘the house of Obed-Edom’ and wəʾeṯ-kōl-ašer-lō {וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ | wəʾeṯ-kōl-ašer-lō} ‘all that was his’. The biclausal structure contrasts divine residence with divine blessing. |