| 24. Linguistic Exegesis The Hebrew narrative uses a vav consecutive clause where wayyomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer} ‘and he said’ introduces direct discourse. The designation hamméleḵ Dāwīḏ {הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִיד | hamméleḵ Dāwīḏ} identifies the speaker. The paired negations lōʾ kî-qānōh ʾĕqnēh {לֹא כִּי־קָנֹה אֶקְנֶה | lōʾ kî-qānōh ʾĕqnēh} create an emphatic refusal by combining the infinitive construct qānōh with the imperfect ʾĕqnēh for deliberative force. The construct chain bĕḵeseph mālēʾ {בְּכֶסֶף מָלֵא | bĕ-ḵeseph mālēʾ} ‘with full silver’ forms a noun-adjective phrase indicating exact cost. A second negation lōʾ-ʾĕssāʾ ʾăšer-lə-ḵā {לֹא־אֶשָּׂא אֲשֶׁר־לְךָ | lōʾ-ʾĕssāʾ ʾăšer-lə-ḵā} stresses refusal to use another’s property. The infinitive hiphil wə-hăʿălōṯ ʿôlāh ḥinnām {וְהַעֲל֥וֹת עוֹלָ֖ה חִנָּֽם | wə-hă-ʿă-lōṯ ʿôlāh ḥinnām} expresses purpose ‘to offer up a burnt offering for nothing.’ In English, the vav sequence and infinitive constructs are rendered as finite verbs with coordinating conjunctions to maintain clarity and emphasis. |