| 9. Linguistic Exegesis vayomer {וַיֹּ֜אמֶר | wā-yō-ʾā-mer} ‘and he said’ introduces the narrative frame. The imperative imru {אִמְרוּ | ʾim-rû} ‘say’ shifts to direct address. The phrase la-adoni hamelech {לַֽאדֹנִי הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ | la-ʾă-dō-nî ha-me-lekh} ‘to my lord the king’ follows diplomatic convention. The nominal clause kol asher-shalachta el-avdekha barishonah eeseh {כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֨חְתָּ אֶל־עַבְדְּךָ֤ בָרִֽאשֹׁונָה֙ אֶעֱשֶׂ֔ה | kol ʾă-šer-shā-lakhtā ʾel-ʿăv-de-khā bā-rī-shō-nāh ʾě-ʿě-seh} ‘all that you sent to your servant at the first time I will do’ indicates conditional compliance. The clause vedhadavar hazeh lo ukhal laasot {וְהַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לֹ֥א אוּכַ֖ל לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת | wə-ha-dā-ḇār ha-zzeh lōʾ ʾū-khal la-ʿă-śôt} ‘but this thing I am not able to do’ asserts inability. Finally, vayelchu hamalakhim vayeshibuhu davar {וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים וַיְשִׁבֻ֖הוּ דָּבָֽר | wā-yē-le-khû ha-mal-ʾa-khîm wā-yĕ-šî-bû-hû dā-ḇār} ‘and the messengers went and brought him back word’ resumes the narrative report. |