| 14. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | wā-yō-mer} ‘and he said’, a vav-consecutive Qal imperfect introducing direct speech. The coordinated phrase Avshalom and kol-ʾīš Yīsrāʾēl {וְכָל־אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל | wə-kāl ʾīš Yīsrāʾēl} ‘Absalom and all the men of Israel’ signals collective consensus. The comparative mei-ʿăṣaṯ {מֵעֲצַת | mēʿăṣaṯ} ‘than the counsel’ marks an evaluative comparison between two advisors. The causative construction wə-yəh-wāh ṣîvvāh ləhāpēr {וַיהוָה צִוָּה לְהָפֵר | wə-yəh-wāh ṣîvvāh ləhāpēr} ‘and the LORD commanded to frustrate’ employs a Hiphil infinitive construct to express divine nullification of human advice. The purpose clause ləvaʿăbur hāḇî Yəhōwāh ʾel-Avšālōm ʾet-hārāʿāh {לְבַעֲבוּר הָבִיא יְהוָה אֶל־אַבְשָׁלֹם אֶת־הָרָעָה | ləvaʿăbur hāḇî Yəhōwāh ʾel-Avšālōם ʾet-hārָאָה} ‘so that the LORD might bring calamity on Absalom’ underscores divine sovereignty. The English rendition splits the Hebrew clauses to preserve narrative clarity and reflect theological causality. |