| 1. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with uvi-shnat shteyim {וּבִשְׁנַ֣ת שְׁתַּ֗יִם | û-ḇiš-naṯ šə-ta-yim} “in the second year,” a feminine construct chain introducing the temporal frame. The construct le-malkhut nevukhadnetsar {לְמַלְכוּת֙ נְבֻֽכַדְנֶצַּ֔ר | lə-mal-ḵût nə-ḇu-ḵad-nēṣ-ṣar} links “reign” to Nebuchadnezzar for specificity. The Qal perfect khalam {חָלַם֙ | ḥā-lam} “he dreamed” is followed by the plural noun khalomot {חֲלֹמ֑וֹת | ḥă-lo-mōṯ} indicating multiple visions. The Hitpael imperfect va-titpaem {וַתִּתְפָּ֣עֶם | wa-tit-pā-ʿem} expresses reflexive disturbance of ruach {רוּח֔וֹ | rū-ḥō} “spirit.” The idiomatic phrase u-shnato nihyetah alav {וּשְׁנָת֖וֹ נִהְיְתָ֥ה עָלָֽיו | û-šə-nā-ṯō nih-yə-ṯāh ʿā-lāw} literally “his sleep was upon him” conveys the onset of sleeplessness. English renders maintain Hebrew emphasis by repeating Nebuchadnezzar in the formal, while the dynamic merges to streamline. |