| 30. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the imperative verb chilu {חִ֤ילוּ | ḥî·lû} ‘tremble’, summoning universal reverence. The prepositional phrase millefanav {מִלְּפָנָיו֙ | milləp̄ānāw} ‘from before him’ indicates reverential stance before the divine. The construct chain kol-ha-aretz {כָּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ | kəl-hā·ʾā·reṣ} ‘all the earth’ combines a universal quantifier with the definite realm. The adversative particle af-tikon {אַף־תִּכּ֥וֹן | ’ap-tiqqôn} ‘indeed it shall be established’ uses the niphal imperfect to convey passive stability. The noun tevel {תֵּבֵ֖ל | ṯē·věl} ‘world’ specifies the inhabited sphere. The negative particle bal in bal-timmot {בַּל־תִּמּֽוֹט | bal-timmôt} ‘it shall not be shaken’ employs poetic negation to stress unchanging permanence. Parallelism of trembling and unshakable steadiness underscores divine authority over creation. |