| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The opening prepositional phrase ba‘et hahi {בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא | bā-ʾēt hă-hî} “at that time” establishes the temporal setting. The Hiphil verb heshiv {הֵ֠שִׁיב | hē-šîḇ} “restored” governs a direct-object clause (et + Eilat {אֵילַת֙ | ʾê-lāṯ}) followed by its goal la-aram {לַֽאֲרָ֔ם | la-ʾă-rām}, reflecting Hebrew object–goal order for emphasis on the returned city. The vav-consecutive Piel imperfect vayenashel {וַיְנַשֵּׁ֥ל | way-ya-naš-šēl} “and he expelled” intensifies the removal of hayehudim {הַיְהוּדִ֖ים | ha-yə-hû-ḏîm} “the Judeans” from meʾelot {מֵֽאֵיל֑וֹת | mē-ʾê-lōṯ}, with the prepositional meʾelot indicating origin. The coordinated nouns we-aramim wa-edomim {וְאֲרָמִים וַאֲדוֹמִים֙ | wə-ʾărāmîm wa-ʾă-ḏō-mîm} in vav-consecutive perfect describe successive occupation, and baʾu vayeshevu {בָּ֣אוּ אֵילַ֔ת וַיֵּ֣שְׁבוּ | bā-ʾû ʾê-lāṯ way-ya-šə-ḇû} “they came to Eilat and dwelt” establishes settled residency. The final adverbial clause ad ha-yom hazzēh {עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה | ʿad ha-yyōm haz-zēh} “until this day” links the event to the ongoing present, underscoring continuity. |