| 10. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with the vav-consecutive in wə-yish-lāḥ {וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח | wə-yish-lāḥ} ‘and he sent’, marking sequential action. This is followed by the speech introducer wə-yō-mer {וַיֹּ֕אמֶר | wə-yō-mer} ‘and he said’, which leads into the imprecatory oath. The oath formula employs the demonstrative + jussive sequence kōh-yaʿă-sûn…yô-sî-pû {כֹּֽה־יַעֲשׂ֥וּן…יוֹסִ֑פוּ} ‘thus may they do… may they add’, intensifying the curse. The protasis is introduced by ʾim-yiš-pôq {אִם־יִשְׂפֹּק֙ | ʾim-yiš-pôq} ‘if it suffices’, focusing on ʿă-p̄ar {עֲפַר | ʿă-p̄ar} ‘dust’ as a hyperbolic measure of total defeat. The phrase lī-šə-ʿā-lîm lə-ḵāl-hā-ʿām {לִשְׁעָלִים לְכָל־הָעָם} uses a prepositional unit plus the universal quantifier kol and the definite article to underscore exhaustiveness. Finally, the locative bə-rag-lāy {בְּרַגְלָֽי | bə-rag-lāy} ‘at my feet’ conveys complete subjugation. This layered structure of narrative, oath, and universal quantifier generates heightened emphasis on the certainty and scope of the threat. |