| 5. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with the vav-consecutive imperfect vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | wā-yō-ʼmer} ‘and he said,’ introducing direct speech. The name David {דָּוִד | dā-wīd} functions as subject, followed by the dative phrase el-Achiel ha-kohen {אֶל־אֲחִיאֵל הַכֹּהֵן | ʾel-ʼă-ḥî-ʼēl ha-kō-hên} specifying the addressee. The particle akh {אַךְ | ʼă-ḵ} ‘truly’ adds emphasis. The paired Niphal perfect verbs nimna {נִמְנַע | nim-nāʾ} and nimna’u {נִמְנָעוּ | nim-nā-ʾû}, linked by the conjunction ka-asher {כַּאֲשֶׁר | ka-ʾa-šer} ‘just as,’ frame a comparative prohibition. The infinitive construct behillokhi {בְּהִלּוֹכִי | bə-hil-lō-khî} introduces the temporal context of travel. The conjunction ki {כִּי | kî} signals a causal clause in which the adjective qadosh {קָדוֹשׁ | qā-dôš} ‘set apart’ modifies the noun guf {גּוּף | gûf} ‘body’ in construct with hagevarim {הַגְּבָרִים | ha-geberîm}, and the prepositional phrase al-hadavar hazeh {עַל־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה | ʿal-had-dā-var ha-z-zeh} ‘concerning this matter’ narrows the ritual focus. The Hebrew syntax preserves a prohibition–circumstance–reason sequence, emphasizing both the enduring practice and its justification. |