| 9. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the verb vayetzav {וַיְצַ֥ו | way·yə·ṣaw} “and he commanded,” followed by the infinitive construct le’emôr {לֵאמֹ֑ר | leʾ·môr} “to say” introducing direct speech. The particle kōh {כֹּ֤ה | kō̂h} “thus” frames the performative imperfect ta’asûn {תַעֲשׂוּן֙ | ta·ʿă·sûn} “you shall do.” Three coordinated prepositional phrases qualify this mandate: bə·yir·ʾat Yahweh {בְּיִרְאַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה | bə·yir·ʾát Yə·hō·wāh} “in the fear of the LORD,”bə·’ĕmū·nāh {בֶּאֱמוּנָ֖ה | bə·ʾĕ·mū·nāh} “in faithfulness,” and u·bə·lē·ḇāḇ šā·lēm {וּבְלֵבָ֥ב שָׁלֵֽם | u·bə·lē·ḇāḇ šā·lēm} “and in a whole heart.” The parallelism underscores moral reverence, ethical fidelity, and wholehearted devotion. |