| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The opening pronoun hem {הֵם | hēm} functions as the narrative subject, followed by the locative phrase im-even {עִם־הָאֶבֶן | ʿim-ha-ʾeḇen} ‘with the stone’, where the maqqef binds the article to even. The relative pronoun asher {אֲשֶׁר | ʾăšer} ‘which’ introduces a clause modifying the stone, locating it via bə-Gibeʿon {בְּגִבְע֔וֹן | bə-Gibeʿōn}. The vav-consecutives wa-ʿAmasā {וַעֲמָשָׂא | wa-ʿămāsā} ‘and Amasa’ and bā {בָּא | bā} ‘came’, and wə-Yoav {וְיוֹאָב | wə-yōʾāḇ} ‘and Joab’, together with the Pual participles ḥāgur {חָגוּר | ḥāgûr} ‘girded’ and meṣummedet {מְצוּמֶדֶת | meṣummedet} ‘fastened’, form a cumulative description of Joab’s attire. The final clause wə-hūʾ yāṣāʾ va-tiṕōl {וְהוּא יָצָא וַתִּפֹּל | wə-hūʾ yāṣāʾ va-tiṕōl} uses a vav-consecutive imperfect to mark sequence, with the feminine verb tiṕōl referring to the sword, emphasizing the narrative’s sequential buildup and the ensuing mishap. |