| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The legal formula al-pi {עַל־פִּי | ʿal-pî} “on the mouth of” marks evidentiary basis. Hebrew uses parallel constructs shenayim edim {שְׁנַיִם עֵדִים | šənayim ʿêdîm} and shlosha edim {שְׁלֹשָׁה עֵדִים | šəlōšâ ʿêdîm} to define witness thresholds. The Hophal imperfect yumat {יוּמַת | yûmat} conveys passive execution of hamet {הַמֵּת | hammēṯ}, with the negative clause lōʾ yûmat ʿal-pî ʿêd ʾeḥād {לֹא יוּמַת עַל־פִּי עֵד אֶחָד} forming a chiastic structure to reinforce procedural safeguards. |