| 18. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with the vav-consecutive verb vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer} ‘and he said’, introducing direct speech. The hiphil imperative hanichu {הַנִּיחוּ | hannîḥû} ‘allow, leave’ issues a command to the group, followed by the negative jussive al-yānaʿ {אַל־יָנַע | ʼal-yānaʿ} ‘do not let disturb’, intensifying the prohibition. The noun ʿaṣmōṯāw {עַצְמוֹתָיו | ʿaṣmōṯāw} ‘his bones’ is repeated for emphasis, forming a chiastic structure. The Piel imperfect vayemalləṭû {וַיְמַלְּטוּ | wa-yemallə-ṭû} ‘and they spared’ highlights deliberate preservation, with the direct object marker ʾēt {אֵת | ʾēt} clarifying the object ʿaṣmōṯ {עַצְמוֹת | ʿaṣmōṯ} ‘bones’. The relative clause ʾăšer-bāʾ {אֲשֶׁר־בָּא | ʾăšer-bāʾ} ‘who came’ identifies hanavi, and miššōmrōn {מִשֹּׁמְרוֹן | miššōmrōn} ‘from Samaria’ specifies origin. The progression from prohibition to affirmative action underscores the cultural imperative to protect burial remains. |