| 16. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the conditional particle ki {כִּי | kî} ‘if’, which introduces a protasis establishing the legal scenario. The Qal imperfect yaqum {יָק֥וּם | yā-qûm} ‘arises’ denotes the formal appearance required of a witness. The construct chain ʿêd ḥāmās {עֵד־חָמָס | ʿêd-ḥā-mās} functions as a compound noun specifying a malicious witness. The prepositional phrase bə’îš {בְּאִישׁ | bə-’îš} ‘against a man’ marks the target of testimony. The Piel infinitive laʿănôt {לַעֲנוֹת | la-‘ă-nôt} ‘to testify’ expresses purpose. The suffixed preposition bô {בּוֹ | bô} ‘against him’ identifies the accused. The final noun sārâh {סָרָה | sārâh} ‘wrongdoing’ characterizes the nature of the offense. The sequence forms a conditional-protasis legal formula emphasizing the need for credible testimony before adjudication. |