| 27. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the negative vav-conjunction velo {וְלֹא | vǝ-lōʾ} ‘and not,’ which negates the following divine speech. The Piel perfect dibber {דִּבֶּר | dîbber} ‘he spoke’ governs the infinitive limchot {לִמְחוֹת | limḥôṯ} ‘to blot out,’ establishing potential divine action. The noun shem {שֵׁם | šēm} ‘name’ functions metonymically for Israel’s identity, while the idiomatic phrase mitachat hashamayim {מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם | mitakḥāt haššāmāyim} ‘from under the heavens’ denotes the entire sphere of existence. The vav-consecutive vayyošīʿêm {וַיּוֹשִׁיעֵם | wayyošīʿêm} ‘and he saved them’ links divine restraint with deliverance, introduced by the agent phrase beyad Yārāḇəʿām {בְּיַד יָרָבְעָם | bə-yād yārāḇəʿām} ‘by the hand of Jeroboam’ and the construct ben Yōʾāš {בֶּן יוֹאָשׁ | ben yōʾāš} indicating lineage. This syntax highlights Yahweh’s merciful choice prior to the national salvation. |