| 13. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with ka’asher {כַּאֲשֶׁר | ka-ʾăšer} ‘as’ introducing a comparison to what is written (katuv {כָּתוּב | kātûḇ} ‘it is written’) in the law of Moses (b’Torat Mosheh {בְּתוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה | bə-tō-raṯ mō-šeh}). The object marker et identifies the direct object kol ha-ra’ah ha-zot {כָּל־הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת | kōl hā-rā-ʿāh ha-zōṯ} ‘all this evil.’ The perfect verb ba’ah {בָּאָה | bāʾāh} ‘has come’ matches the feminine subject, marking completed action upon us (aleinu {עָלֵינוּ | ʿā-lênû}). The contrastive clause ve’lo chilinu {וְלֹא־חִלִּינוּ | wə-lōʾ-ḥil-lî-nû} ‘and we have not entreated’ employs the Piel for intensity, followed by et-penei Yahweh Eloheinu {אֶת־פְּנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ | ʾet-pə-nê Yə-hō-wāh ʾĕ-lō-hê-nû} ‘the face of the LORD our God.’ Two infinitives lashuv {לָשׁוּב | lā-šûḇ} (to turn) and ule’haskil {וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל | û-lə-haś-kîl} (to gain insight) introduce purposes of intercession, the first from me’avonenu {מֵעֲוֺנֵנוּ | mē-ʿă-ḇō-nê-nû} ‘our iniquities’ and the second in ba’amittekha {בַּאֲמִתֶּךָ | ba-ʾă-mit-te-khā} ‘your truth.’ The Hebrew structure balances declaration of disaster with the missed opportunity for repentance and understanding. |