| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with pen {פֶּן־יִרְדֹּף֩ | p̄en-yirdōf} ‘lest-he-pursues’, introducing a precautionary conditional. Yē-ḥam levavo {יֵחַם לְבָבוֹ | yē-ḥam lə-bā-ḇō} with vehisigo {וְהִשִּׂיגוֹ | wə-ḥiś-śî-gō} and ki-yirbeh ha-derekh {כִּֽי־יִרְבֶּ֥ה הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ | kî-yir-bē ha-də-rēḵ} constructs two causal clauses: the first conveys emotional intensity, the second highlights the long road enabling pursuit. The compounded title go’el ha-dam {גֹּאֵל הַדָּם | gō-’ēl ha-Dām} designates the blood redeemer. Vehikahu nefesh {וְהִכָּהוּ נָפֶשׁ | wə-ḥiḵ-ḵā-hû nā-pheś} indicates deadly retribution, while ve-lo ʾên mishpat-mavet {וְלוֹ אֵין מִשְׁפַּט־מָוֶת | wə-lō ʾên miš-pāṭ-mā-wet} asserts exemption from capital judgment. The closing clause ki lo sō-nē hû lo mit-mōl šil-šōm {כִּי לֹא שׂוֹנֵא ה֛וּא ל֖וֹ מִתְּמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם | kî lō sō-nē hû lō mit-mōl šil-šōm} clarifies the absence of prior hatred, preserving the Hebrew’s legal and rhetorical sequencing. |