| 18. Linguistic Exegesis The verse uses vayehi {וַיְהִי} ‘and it happened’ as a narrative marker introducing a new event sequence, typical of biblical Hebrew historical narratives. The phrase vatehi ʿod ha-milchamah {וַתְּהִי־ע֧וֹד הַמִּלְחָמָה} ‘and there was again the battle’ sets a cyclical conflict motif. The preposition bə-Gōv {בְּגֹב} specifies the location. The construct chain biylêḏê ha-rāp̄āh {בִּילִדֵי הָרָפָה} ‘among the descendants of the Rapha’ uses a participial form to indicate lineage. Hikkāh {הִכָּה} as a Hifil form expresses causative action. English structure divides the narrative into two sentences to mirror the Hebrew sequential clauses while clarifying proper noun relationships. |