| 28. Linguistic Exegesis The verse’s sequential vav-consecutive verbs—vaya'amod {וַֽיַּעֲמֹד֙ | va-ya-ʿă-mōḏ}, vayikra {וַיִּקְרָ֥א | va-yik-rāʾ}, vayedabber {וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר | va-ye-dā-ḇēr}, and vayomer {וַיֹּ֔אמֶר | va-yō-mer}—drive the historical narrative forward. The title rav-shaqeh {רַב־שָׁקֵ֔ה | rav-šā-qēh} stands in construct state as the chief cupbearer, functioning as the Assyrian spokesperson. The prepositional phrase beqol-gadol {בְקוֹל־גָּד֖וֹל | bə-qōl-gā-dōl} intensifies the delivery with ‘loud voice.’ yehudith {יְהוּדִ֑ית | yə-hū-ḏît}, an adjective used adverbially, localizes the speech in the Judean dialect. The imperative shim'u {שִׁמְעוּ | šim-‘û} issues a direct command. In the construct chain dvar-hammelekh {דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ | də-var-ham-me-leḵ}, ‘word’ attaches to ‘king’ to assert royal authority, further qualified by ha-gadol me-lekh {הַגָּד֖וֹל מֶ֥לֶךְ | ha-gā-dōl me-leḵ} and ashur {אַשּֽׁוּר | ’aš-šūr}, naming the Assyrian realm. Rendering these as genitive chains preserves the Hebrew constructs while clarifying clause relationships. |