| 15. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the emphatic infinitive absolute followed by the imperfect, hakeh {הַכֵּה | ha-qēh} ‘infinitive absolute for emphasis’ and taqeh {תַכֶּה | ṭa-qēh} ‘Hiphil imperfect second person masculine singular’, intensifying the command. The direct object marker et {אֶת־ | ʾet} precedes the participle et-yoshvei {אֶת־יֹשְׁבֵי | ʾet-yō-šə-ḇê}, specifying the inhabitants. The demonstrative ha-hi {הַהִוא | ha-hîʾ} identifies the city ha-ir {הָעִיר | hā-ʿîr}. The construct lefi-kharev {לְפִי־חָרֶב | lə-pî-ḥā-rev} marks the instrument of execution. The Hiphil infinitive absolute ha-charem {הַחֲרֵם | ha-ḥă-rēm} functions substantivally to denote total destruction, with the pronominal suffix otah {אֹתָהּ | ʾō-thāh} referring to the city. The coordinated clauses ve-et-kol-asher-bah {וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּהּ | wə-ʾet-kol-ʾă-šer-bāh} and ve-et-behemtah {וְאֶת־בְּהֶמְתָּהּ | wə-ʾet-bə-hem-tāh} extend the ban to all inhabitants and to the livestock, while the repetition of lefi-kharev frames both commands. |