| 23. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with the verb vayyigash {וַיִּגַּשׁ֙ | wayyigaš} ‘and he approached,’ establishing sequential action. The construct phrase Tsidqiyyāhu ben-kenaʿānāh {צִדְקִיָּהוּ בֶן־כְּנַעֲנָה | Ṣidqiyyāhu ben-kenaʿānāh} identifies the actor by name and lineage. The verb vayyakh {וַיַּ֥ךְ | wayyyaḵ} ‘and he struck’ with the particle ʾet {אֶת־ | ʾet} introduces Mīḵāyāhu {מִיכָיְהוּ | Mīḵāyāhu} as the direct object, and the prepositional phrase ʿal-halleḥî {עַל־הַלֶּ֑חִי | ʿal-halleḥî} ‘on the cheek’ specifies the blow’s location. The verb vayyōmer {וַיֹּ֗אמֶר | wayyōmer} ‘and he said’ transitions into the question framed by ʾē zeh haddereḵ {אֵ֣י זֶ֤ה הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ | ʾē zeh haddereḵ} ‘which way is this,’ followed by ʿāvar {עָבַ֧ר | ʿāvar} ‘passed’ marking motion of the agent rūaḥ-Yahweh {רֽוּחַ־יְהוָ֛ה | rūaḥ-Yahweh} ‘Spirit of the LORD’ with source mēʾittî {מֵאִתִּ֖י | mēʾittî} ‘from me,’ and the infinitive ləḏabber {לְדַבֵּ֥ר | ləḏabber} ‘to speak’ plus pronoun ʾōṯāḵ {אֹתָֽךְ | ʾōṯāḵ} ‘to you,’ conveying the Spirit’s intention. This tight sequence of clauses underscores the prophet’s challenge to the source of divine inspiration. |