| 11. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the conjunctional subject ve’ish {וְאִישׁ֙ | wə-ʾîš} ‘and a man,’ shifting the narrative focus. The verb amad {עָמַד | ʿā-maḏ} with alav {עָלָיו | ʿā-lāw} forms a prepositional phrase establishing proximity rather than dominance. The construct chain min-naʿarei Yoav {מִֽנַּעֲרֵ֖י יוֹאָ֑ב | min-na-ʿǎ-rê Yō-ʾāḇ} indicates membership among Joab’s retinue. Vav-consecutive vayomer {וַיֹּ֗אמֶר | wa-yō-mêr} introduces direct speech, followed by two parallel relative clauses mi asher chafetz be-Yoav {מִי֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר חָפֵ֧ץ בְּיוֹאָ֛ב | mî ʾă-šer ḥā-p̄ēṣ bə-Yō-ʾāḇ} and u-mi asher-leDavid acharei Yoav {וּמִ֥י אֲשֶׁ֨ר־לְדָוִ֖ד אַחֲרֵ֥י יוֹאָֽב | ū-mî ʾă-šer lə-Dā-wîḏ ʾaḥ-ă-rê Yō-ʾāḇ}, creating a chiasmic appeal for allegiance. The preposition acharei {אַחֲרֵי | ʾaḥ-ă-rê} conveys the imperative sense “follow,” captured in English by “let him follow” and “follow,” preserving the rhetorical force of the Hebrew summons. |