| 19. Linguistic Exegesis The dialogue opens with the vav-consecutive wayyōmer {וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | wayyōmer} introducing the king’s speech. The idiom hayyad Yōʼāḇ {הַיַּד יוֹאָב | hayyad Yōʼāḇ} “the hand of Joab” expresses agency. The sequential vav-consecutives wə-ttaʿan … wə-ṭōmer {וַתַּעַן … וַתֹּאמֶר | wə-ttaʿan … wə-ṭōmer} frame a formal conversational exchange. The oath formula ḥê-nap̱šᵉḵā {חֵי־נַפְשְׁךָ | ḥê-nap̱šᵉḵā} “as your soul lives” intensifies the assertion. The merism lᵉ-hêmîn ū-lᵉ-hasimīl {לְהֵמִין וּלְהַשְׂמִיל | lᵉ-hêmîn ū-lᵉ-hasimīl} “to the right or to the left” conveys comprehensiveness. The relative clause ʼăšer-dibber {אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר | ʼăšer-dibber} “that he spoke” qualifies “anything.” Finally, the prepositional phrase bᵊ-pî šip̄ḥāteḵā {בְּפִי שִׁפְחָתְךָ | bᵊ-pî šip̄ḥāteḵā} “in the mouth of your servant” highlights Joab’s role as the message source. |