| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The Hebrew employs parallel infinitive absolute forms followed by imperfect verbs to intensify the command: patoach {פָתֹחַ | pā-tō-ʼaḥ} ‘infinitive absolute’ with its paired imperfect tiftach {תִּפְתַּח | tîp-taḥ} ‘imperfect’, and similarly vehaavet {וְהַעֲבֵט | və-hă-‘ă-ḇêṭ} ‘infinitive absolute’ with its imperfect taavittenu {תַּעֲבִיטֶנּוּ | ta-‘ă-bî-ṭen-nû} ‘imperfect’. The direct object marker et {אֵת | ʾēt} ‘direct object marker’ foregrounds yadkha {יָדְךָ | yāḏ-kha} ‘your hand’ as the instrument of generosity. The noun dei {דֵּי | dē} ‘enough’ combines with mahsoro {מַחְסֹר | ma-ḥō-sō-rô} ‘of his need’ to specify adequate provision. The relative clause asher yechsar lo {אֲשֶׁר יֶחְסַר לֽוֹ | ʼă-šer ye-ḥsār lō} ‘that he lacks’ frames the condition for assistance. English translation renders the Hebrew VSO order as SVO while preserving the emphatic force of the infinitive–imperfect constructions and the conditional nuance of the relative clause. |