| 11. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the narrative vav {וַיִּזְבְּחוּ | wəyyizbəḥû} marking sequential action “and they sacrificed,” followed by the prepositional phrase la-Yahweh {לַיהוָה | la·yhā·wāh} denoting the divine recipient. The temporal adverbial ba-yom ha-hu {בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא | ba·yōm hâ·hûʾ} “on that day” sets the scene, while min-ha-shalal {מִן־הַשָּׁלָל | min·ha·šā·lāl} “from the plunder” specifies the source. The coordinated action heviu {הֵבִיאוּ | hê·ḇî·ʾū} “they brought” and the numerical expressions bakar sheva meot {בָּקָר שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת | bā·qār šĕ·ḇaʿ mē·ʾōṯ} “cattle, seven hundreds” and vetson shivat alafim {וְצֹאן שִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים | wə·ṣō·ʾn šî·ḇaʿ·ăt ʾă·lā·p̄îm} “and sheep/goats, seven thousands” follow Hebrew number syntax. The construct chain shivat alafim emphasizes precise totals. English maintains Hebrew sequencing to highlight origin and magnitude of the sacrifice. |