| 30. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the prohibitive ve-al {וְאַל | və-ʾal} ‘and do not’, combining the conjunction and negative imperative. The Hiphil imperfect yavtaḥ {יַבְטַח | yaw-ṭaḥ} ‘let him cause to trust’ takes the direct object et-khem {אֶתְכֶם | ʾet-khem} ‘you’, indicating Hezekiah’s persuasive action. The prepositional phrase el-Yahweh {אֶל־יְהוָה | ʾel-yə-hō-wāh} marks the locus of trust, and the infinitive construct leʾemor {לֵאמֹר | lē-ʾe-mor} introduces direct speech. The use of the infinitive absolute haṣṣēl {הַצֵּל | ha-ṣṣēl} with imperfect yaṣṣilēnū {יַצִּילֵנוּ | ya-ṣṣil-ē-nū} intensifies the certainty of deliverance. The vav-conjunction plus loʾ {וְלֹא | və-lōʾ} introduce a second clause with the passive nifal imperfect tinnāṯēn {תִּנָּתֵן | tin-nā-ṯēn}, forming a negated assertion. The demonstrative hazzōʾth {הַזֹּאת | ha-z-zōʾth} ‘this’ focuses on the city in the noun phrase hā-ʾîr hazzōʾth {הָעִיר הַזֹּאת | hā-ʾîr ha-z-zōʾth}. The adversary’s control is specified in the prepositional phrase bə-yād melekh ʾAššur {בְּיַד מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר | bə-yād me-lekh ʾaš-šur}. The structure contrasts persuasive rhetoric with blunt warning, highlighting Hebrew emphasis through the infinitive absolute and concessive conjunctions. |