| 21. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative vav prefix in vayetzav {וַיְצַ֤ו | wə-ye-ṣaw} ‘and he commanded’ places the action within Josiah’s reform context, marking a royal decree by hamelech {הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ | ha-me-leḵ} ‘the king’. The infinitival preposition leemor {לֵאמֹ֔ר | le-ʾemor} ‘saying’ frames the ensuing direct speech. The Qal imperative asu {עֲשׂ֣וּ | ʿă-su} ‘perform’ governs the festival name pesach {פֶ֔סַח | pē-ṣaḥ} ‘Passover’, directing communal observance. The locative expression laYHWH Eloheichem {לַֽיהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם | la-Yahweh ʾĕ-lo-hē-khem} ‘to the LORD your God’ situates the rite in covenantal relationship. The adverbial kakatov {כַּכָּת֕וּב | ka-ka-tūḇ} ‘as written’ introduces the written authority of al sefer haberit hazeh {עַ֛ל סֵ֥פֶר הַבְּרִ֖ית הַזֶּֽה | ʿal sē-fer ha-be-rīt ha-zē-h} ‘on this Book of the Covenant’. This sequence underscores the integration of royal, religious, and legal authority in Judah’s cultic renewal. |