| 9. Linguistic Exegesis The opening כִּֽי־כֵ֣ן {כִּֽי־כֵ֣ן | kî-kên} forms a causal frame (“for/because—so it is”), grounding the speaker’s refusal in prior authority rather than personal preference. The main clause uses צִוָּ֣ה אֹתִ֗י {צִוָּה אֹתִי | ṣiwwāh ʾōtî} with an implied divine subject, while the prepositional phrase בִּדְבַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ {בִּדְבַר יְהוָה | biḏbar Yə-hō-wāh} specifies the means and source: the command comes “through the word” associated with the LORD, highlighting prophetic mediation. The infinitive לֵאמֹ֔ר {לֵאמֹר | lēʾmōr} introduces direct speech, after which three negated imperfects—לֹא־תֹ֥אכַל {לֹא־תֹאכַל | lōʾ-tōʾḵal}, וְלֹא תִשְׁתֶּה־מָּ֑יִם {וְלֹא תִשְׁתֶּה־מָּיִם | wə-lōʾ tiš-teh-mā-yim}, וְלֹ֣א תָשׁ֔וּב {וְלֹא תָשׁוּב | wə-lōʾ tāšûḇ}—create a rhythmic triad of prohibitions. The final prepositional phrase plus relative clause, בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלָֽכְתָּ {בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר הָלָכְתָּ | bad-dereḵ ʾăšer hālak-tā}, narrows the third prohibition to a specific route, portraying obedience as concrete, measurable action rather than a general attitude. |