| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the narrative verb vayedabber {וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר | wayyəḏabber} ‘and he spoke’, framing a direct address to Jezebel via eleiha {אֵלֶ֗יהָ | ʾêlê-hā} ‘to her’. The conjunction ki {כִּֽי־ | kî-} ‘because’ introduces reported speech linking adabber {אֲדַבֵּר | ʾăḏabber} ‘I spoke’ and va-omar {וָאֹ֣מַר | wā-ʾōmar} ‘and I said’. The negotiation is structured by the imperative tenah-li {תְּנָה־לִּי | tə-nāh-lî} ‘give to me’ and the contrasting imperfect ettena-lekha {אֶתְּנָה־לְךָ | ʾet-ten-nā lə-kā} ‘I will give to you’, coordinated by o {אוֹ | ʾō} ‘or’ and conditioned by im-chafets-ata {אִם־חָפֵץ אַתָּה | ʾim-ḥāpeṣ ʾattâ} ‘if you desire’. The direct object marker et highlights both kermecha {כַּרְמְךָ | kar-mĕkā} ‘your vineyard’ and karmi {כַּרְמִי | kar-mî} ‘my vineyard’, underscoring personal ownership. The refusal is marked by lo {לֹא | lō} ‘not’ preceding eten {אֶתֵּן | ʾet-tēn} ‘I will give’, delivering a clear denial. English preserves the alternating sequence of command, conditional offer, and refusal to mirror the Hebrew structure. |