| 16. Linguistic Exegesis The clause begins with the prepositional phrase kechol {כְּכֹ֨ל | kə̆-ḵōl} ‘according to all’, which introduces the basis for the divine response. The relative infinitive asher-shaalta {אֲשֶׁר־שָׁאַ֜לְתָּ | ’ă-šer-šā-’al-tā} ‘which you asked’ frames the petition. The expression me’im Yahweh Eloheicha {מֵעִ֨ם יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ | mē-’im Yə-hō-wāh ’ĕ-lō-he-ḵā} ‘from the LORD your God’ emphasizes direct petition to the covenant Lord. The temporal setting bechorev beyom hakahal {בְּחֹרֵ֔ב בְּי֥וֹם הַקָּהָ֖ל | bə-ḥō-rēḇ bə-yôm ha-qā-hāl} ‘at Horeb on the day of the assembly’ locates the Sinai theophany. Quotative lemor {לֵאמֹ֑ר | lē-’emor} ‘saying’ introduces the plea. The sequence lo osef lishmoa {לֹא אֹסֵף לִשְׁמֹעַ | lō ’ō-sēph liš-mō-‘a} ‘I will not continue to hear’ and lo-ereh ’od velo amut {לֹֽא־אֶרְאֶ֥ה ע֖וֹד וְלֹ֥א אָמֽוּת | lō-’er-eh ’ōḏ wə-lō ’ā-mūṯ} ‘I will not see again and not I will die’ uses iterative negation to heighten the fear of the divine voice and fire. The Hebrew structure is mirrored in English by maintaining clause sequence and relational particles. |