| 5. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the consecutive waw wayyōʾmer {וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ | wāyōʾmer} ‘and he said,’ which propels the narrative flow. The subject Avšālōm {אַבְשָׁלוֹם | Avšālōm} introduces the speaker of the command. The Qal imperative qerāʾ {קְרָ֣א | qerāʾ} with the entreaty particle nāʾ {נָ֔א | nāʾ} issues a polite summons. The adverb gam {גַּ֖ם | gam} conveys inclusivity. The prepositional phrase lə-ḵūšay hā-ʾārqî {לְחוּשַׁי הָאַרְכִּ֑י | lə-ḵūšay hā-ʾārqî} identifies the Archite envoy. The consecutive waw plus Niphal imperfect wə-nīšme·ʿāh {וְנִשְׁמְעָ֥ה | wə-nīšme·ʿāh} expresses a cohortative ‘let us hear.’ The idiom mah-bə-pîyw {מַה־בְּפִ֖יו | mah-bə-pîyw} literally ‘what is in his mouth’ functions as an inquiry into his counsel. The closing gam-hû {גַּם־הוּא | gam-hû} reinforces collective inclusion. Rendering this sequence in English shifts from Hebrew VSO to SVO order while preserving narrative rhythm and communal decision-making emphasis. |