| 36. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive form of the verb hecherishu {וְהֶחֱרִ֣ישׁוּ | wə-ḥeḥă-rî-šû}, a Hifil perfect that signals narrative sequence. The subject haam {הָעָם | hā-ʿām} follows in verb–subject order typical of Hebrew narrative, emphasizing the collective actor. The coordinated negation velo anû oto davar {וְלֹֽא־עָנ֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ דָּבָ֑ר | wə-lō-ʿā-nû ō-ṯô dā-ḇār} uses a consecutive vav plus negative particle to intensify refusal, with the Qal perfect verb anû governing the pronoun oto and noun davar as its object. The causal clause ki-mitsvat hamelekh {כִּי־מִצְוַ֨ת הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ | kî-mits-vāṯ hā-me-leḵ} is introduced by the conjunction kî and features a construct chain in which the phrase mitsvat hamelekh functions as the subject, linked by the pronoun hi {הִ֛יא | hî} to the infinitive leemor {לֵאמֹר | lē-ʾê-môr}, marking reported speech. The direct quotation begins with the negative particle lo {לֹ֥א | lō} and the imperfect verb taanuhu {תַעֲנֻהוּ | ta-ʿă-nû-hû}, commanding the audience. The English rendering preserves verb–subject order, causal linkage, and the shift into direct discourse, maintaining emphasis and discourse markers. |