| 17. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive verb veamdu {וְעָמְדוּ | və-‘ā-mə-dû} ‘and they will stand’, marking a formal summons. It is followed by the numeral-noun construct shnei-ha-anashim {שְׁנֵי־הָאֲנָשִׁים | šə-nē hā-’ă-nā-šîm} ‘two of the men’, where the dual form precedes its noun. The relative clause asher-lahem {אֲשֶׁר־לָהֶם | ’ă-šer lā-hem} ‘who have’ links the participants to ha-riv {הָרִיב | hā-rîḇ} ‘the dispute’. The doubled preposition lifnei {לִפְנֵי | li-p̄nê} ‘before’ introduces first the divine and then the human tribunal. The divine name Yahweh {יְהוָה | Yə-hō-wāh} underscores ultimate authority, while lifnei ha-kohanim veha-shoftim {לִפְנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַשֹּׁפְטִים | li-p̄nê hak-kô-hă-nîm wə-haš-šōp̄-ṭîm} binds cultic and judicial offices. The final relative clause asher yihyu ba-yamim ha-hem {אֲשֶׁר יִהְיוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם | ’ă-šer yiḥ-yû ba-yā-mîm hā-hēm} ‘who will be in those days’ situates the human functionaries historically. English renders the vav-consecutive with coordination and reorders clauses for clarity while retaining the dual adjudication focus. |