| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the conditional particle im-ki {אִם־כִּי | ʾim-kī} ‘if indeed,’ marking a strong protasis. The imperfect verb yechesar {יֶחְסַר | yekhe-sar} conveys potential absence and is followed by the source construction avi mimeni {אָבִי מִמֶּנִּי | ’a-vî mim-men-nî} and the temporal phrase kol-hayom {כָּל־הַיּוֹם | kol-ha-yôm} indicating duration. The vav-perfect ve-amarta {וְאָמַרְתָּ | wə-’āmar-tā} introduces direct speech. The perfect hish’alti {הִשְׁאַלְתִּי | his-she-’al-tî} expresses the completed request action with the infinitive larutz {לָרוּץ | lā-rûṣ} signaling purpose. The construct beit-lechem iro {בֵּית־לֶחֶם עִירוֹ | bêṯ-le-ḥem ’î-rô} names the destination and possessive city. The conjunction ki-sham {כִּי־שָׁם | kî-šām} opens the explanatory clause, where the construct zevach-chag {זֶבַח־חַג | ze-vaḥ-ḥag} identifies a festival sacrifice and the prepositional phrase le-khol-hamishpacha {לְכָל־הַמִּשְׁפָּחָה | lə-khol-ha-miš-pā-ḥā} extends it to the entire family. This structure creates a conditional–explanatory pattern underpinning the ruse of a religious observance. |