| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The clause begins with the conjunction ki {כִּי | kî} ‘for/because,’ introducing a causal clause. The verb yihyu-lo {יִהְיוּ־ל֖וֹ | yiḥ-yû-lō} (Qal imperfect third person masculine plural with pronominal suffix) indicates a resulting state of servitude to him. The prepositional phrase laavadim {לַעֲבָדִים | la-ʿă-vā-dîm} functions as a predicate nominative “as servants.” The vav-consecutive plus imperfect forms veyedu {וְיֵדְעוּ | wə-yē-də-ʿū} ‘and they will know,’ marking a purpose-result clause. The parallel nominal constructs avodati {עֲבוֹדָתִי | ʿă-vŏ-dā-tî} ‘service of me’ and vaavodat mamlakhot haaratsot {וַעֲבוֹדַת מַמְלְכוֹת הָאֲרָצוֹת | va-ʿă-vŏ-daṯ mam-le-ḵô-wṯ hā-ʾă-rā-ṣôṯ} ‘service of the kingdoms of the lands’ create a chiastic structure contrasting divine service with service of earthly powers. The English rendering preserves this parallelism and highlights the theological distinction of service relationships. |