| 3. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with veyamim rabbim {וְיָמִ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים | wə-yā-mîm rabbîm} ‘extended duration’, foregrounding the prolonged nature of Israel’s condition. The prepositional phrase leyisrael {לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | lə-yis-rā-ʾel} ‘for Israel’ marks the national subject. A triplet of negative lamed clauses—lelo {לְלֹ֣א | lə-lōʾ} and ulelo {וּלְלֹ֛א | wə-lə-lōʾ}—creates a parallel series of privations: absence of God, of priestly teaching, and of torah {תּוֹרָֽה | tō-rāh} ‘instruction’. The noun-adjective construction elohei emet {אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֱמֶ֗ת | ʾĕ-lō-hê ʾê-met} ‘God of truth’ highlights divine fidelity, while the participle moreh {מוֹרֶה֖ | mō-rê} ‘one who teaches’ conveys ongoing guidance. English SVO order and parallel phrasing preserve the Hebrew cumulative structure and emphasize each lacking element. |