| 19. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with vehashenit {וְהַשֵּׁנִ֗ית | və-haš-šē-nîṯ} ‘and the second,’ marking a sequential argument. The interrogative lə-mî {לְמִי֙ | lə-mî} ‘for whom’ combined with the independent pronoun ʾă-nî {אֲנִ֣י | ʾă-nî} ‘I’ and the imperfect ʾe-ʿe-ḇōḏ {אֶֽעֱבֹ֔ד | ʾe-ʿe-ḇōḏ} ‘will I serve’ expresses a rhetorical question. The negative interrogative halo {הֲל֖וֹא | ha-lōʾ} ‘is it not’ anticipates affirmation and introduces the beneficiary lifnei bə-nôʾ {לִפְנֵ֣י בְנ֑וֹ | li-p̄nê bə-nôʾ} ‘before his son.’ The comparative ka-ʾa-šer {כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר | ka-ʾa-šer} ‘just as’ parallels the perfect ʿā-ḇaḏ-tî {עָבַ֙דְתִּי֙ | ʿā-ḇaḏ-tî} ‘I served’ with the imperfect ʾe-hi-yeh {אֶהְיֶ֥ה | ʾe-hi-yeh} ‘I will be,’ framing loyalty “before your father” and “before you.” This antithetical parallel structure underscores continuity of service and allegiance. |