| 16. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with ve-attah {וְאַתָּה | wə-ʾattāh} ‘and you’, an emphatic direct address of Moses. Two parallel imperatives—harem {הָרֵם | hā-rēm} ‘raise’ and wə-nəṯêh {וּנְטֵה | wə-nə-ṯêh} ‘stretch out’—frame the action around Moses’ staff and hand. The direct object marker et {אֶת־ | ʾet-} before mattəḵā {מַטְּךָ | mattəḵā} and yā-də-ḵā {יָדְךָ | yā-də-ḵā} specifies what is being lifted and extended. Preposition ʿal {עַל־ | ʿal-} with ha-yām {הַיָּם | ha-yām} positions the act over the sea. The command wə-və-qā-ʿě-hû {וּבְקָעֵהוּ | wə-və-qā-ʿě-hû} ‘divide it’ directs the parting of the waters. Waw consecutive in wə-yā-bō-ʼu {וְיָבֹאוּ | wə-yā-bō-ʼu} introduces the result: sons of Israel traversing bə-ṯōḵ {בְּתוֹךְ | bə-ṯōḵ} ‘in the midst of’ ha-yām on ba-yab-bā-šāh {בַּיַּבָּשָׁה | ba-yab-bā-šāh} ‘on the dry ground’. The sequence of causative imperatives followed by a result clause underscores the direct causality and deliverance effected through Moses’ obedience. |