| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The distributive formula chelek kechelek {חֵ֥לֶק כְּחֵ֖לֶק | ke-ḥē-leq} opens the clause to indicate equal shares. The Qal imperfect yokhelu {יֹאכֵ֑לוּ | yō-khe-lû} expresses habitual action. The prepositional phrase levad {לְבַד | lə-vaḏ} introduces the exception, which is specified by the construct chain mimkarav {מִמְכָּרָ֖יו | mim-me-kā-rāv} bound to haavot {הָאָבֽוֹת | hā-ā-ḇōṯ}, forming a genitive relation “from his sales of the ancestors.” The word order highlights the general principle before stating the exception. |