| 3. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive imperfect venatan {וְנָתַן֩ | wə-nā-ṭan} ‘and he gave’, signaling sequential narrative. The temporal phrase bayom hahu {בַּיּ֨וֹם הַה֤וּא | ba-yyōm ha-hūʾ} ‘on that day’ localizes the event. Mofet {מוֹפֵת֙ | mō-p̄ēṯ} ‘sign’ is reiterated (mofet…hamofet) to underscore prophetic authenticity. Leemor {לֵאמֹ֔ר | lē-ʾā-môr} introduces direct speech, and the clause zeh hamofet asher dibber Yahweh {זֶה הַמּוֹפֵ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה} ‘this is the sign which the LORD has spoken’ links word and fulfillment. The particle hinneh {הִנֵּ֤ה | hinnēh} ‘behold’ focuses attention. The passive Niphal verbs nikra {נִקְרָ֔ע | nīq-rāʿ} ‘will be torn’ and nishpakh {וְנִשְׁפַּ֖ךְ | nish-paḥ} ‘will be poured’ emphasize divine agency acting upon hamizbe’ach {הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ | hammiz-bē-aḥ} ‘the altar’ and hadeshen {הַדֶּ֥שֶׁן | ha-de-šen} ‘the ashes’. The relative asher-ʿalav {אֲשֶׁר־עָלָֽיו | ʾă-šer-ʿā-lāv} ‘which-is-upon-it’ specifies the location of the residue, highlighting the precise nature of the sign. |