| 27. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with ve-hallevi {וְהַלֵּוִ֥י | wə-ḥallêwî} ‘and the Levite’, using the vav conjunction to link this injunction with preceding laws. The relative clause introduced by asher-bishareikha {אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ | ʾă-šer bi-šā-rê-kha} ‘who is in your gates’ specifies the Levite’s residence in Israelite settlements. The negative imperative lo taazvenu {לֹא תַעַזְבֶנּוּ | lōʾ ta-ʿaz-və-nû} ‘you must not abandon him’ uses second person masculine singular to stress duty. The causal conjunction ki {כִּי | kî} ‘for’ introduces the existential clause ein lo {אֵין לוֹ | ʾên lō} ‘there is not to him’, foregrounding the Levite’s lack of land allotment. The coordinated nouns helek {חֵלֶק | ḥê-lek} and ve-nachalah {וְנַחֲלָה | wə-naḥ-ă-lâh} ‘portion and inheritance’ define the categories of property denied to him, emphasizing communal responsibility. The closing prepositional phrase immakh {עִמָּךְ | ʿim-mā-kh} ‘with you’ locates the Levite within the community. English translation adapts the VSO Hebrew into SVO order while preserving theological nuance and covenantal obligation. |