| 37. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the jussive yashav {יָשׁב | yā-šāv} ‘let remain’ and cohortative amut {אָמֻת | ʾā-muṯ} ‘let me die’, intensified by the entreaty particle na {נָא | nāʼ}. The prepositional phrases be’iri {בְּעִירִי | bə-ʿîr-î} ‘in my city’ and im-kever {עִם־קֶבֶר | im-qe-ḇer} ‘with the grave’, joined to avi ve-imi {אָבִי וְאִמִּי | ʾā-vî wə-imm-î}, form a location clause expressing filial burial desire. The interjection vehineh {וְהִנֵּה | wə-hin-nēh} ‘and behold’ shifts focus to Kimham {כִמְהָם | kim-hă-mām} as the beneficiary of the next jussive yaavor {יַעֲבֹר | ya-ʻa-bōr} ‘let him cross over’. The imperative vaaseh {וַעֲשֵׂה | wa-ʿǎ-sēh} ‘do’, with lo {לוֹ | lō} ‘for him’, begins a command clause, while the free relative asher yatuv {אֲשֶׁר יָטּוּב | ă-šer yā-ṭūḇ} ‘whatever is good’ functions as the object, qualified by be-eineka {בְּעֵינֶיךָ | bə-ʾeynē-khā} ‘in your eyes’, granting discretionary authority to the addressee. The Hebrew word order foregrounds the speaker’s personal plea before transferring royal favor. |