| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The Hebrew clause begins with the vav-consecutive particle ve-qōl {וְכֹ֗ל | və-qōl} ‘and all,’ marking a collective obligation. This is followed by the construct sequence ziknei ha’ir hahi {זִקְנֵי֙ הָעִיר הַהִוא | zi-qə-nê hà-ʿîr hà-hîʾ} ‘elders of that city,’ which the participle hakrovim el-he-chalal {הַקְּרֹבִים אֶל־הֶחָלָל | ha-qə-rô-vîm ʾel hè-ḥā-lāl} ‘those near to the slain man’ further specifies. The Qal imperfect yirchatsu {יִרְחֲצוּ֙ | yi-rə-ḥă-ṣû} functions as a cohortative-imperative, issuing a communal command. The direct object marker et {אֶת־ | ʾet} introduces yedeihem {יְדֵיהֶם | yə-dê-hem} ‘their hands,’ highlighting the ritual action of washing. Finally, the prepositional phrase al ha-eglah haarufah ba-nachal {עַל־הָעֶגְלָה הָעֲרוּפָה בַנָּחַל | ʿal hà-ʿeɡ-lāh hā-ʿă-rû-pâh ba-ná-ḥal} ‘over the neck-broken heifer in the valley’ ties the juridical rite to its setting. The translation moves from Hebrew VSO to English SVO for clarity, with the participial and construct relationships rendered in subordinate modifiers. |