| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav-consecutive vechizzakti {וְחִזַּקְתִּ֣י | wə-ḥiz-zəq-tî} ‘and I will harden’, which establishes divine initiative. The direct object marker et {אֶת־ | ʾet} attaches to the construct lev Par‘oh {לֵב־פַּרְעֹה֮ | lēb pə-rō-ʿô} ‘Pharaoh’s heart’, specifying the locus of divine action. A sequence of vav-consecutive verbal forms—veradaf {וְרָדַ֣ף | wə-rā-ḏap̄} ‘and he will pursue’, veikkavdah {וְאִכָּבְדָ֤ה | wə-’ik-kā-və-dāh} ‘and I will be glorified’, and veyad‘u {וְיָדְע֥וּ | wə-yā-ḏə-‘ū} ‘and they will know’—creates a progressive narrative build. The phrase uvecholcheilo {וּבְכָל־חֵיל֔וֹ | û-bə-kōl-ḥê-lō} ‘and in all his army’ broadens the scope to Egypt’s military might. The theological climax ki ani Yahweh {כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה | kî ʾă-nî yə-hō-wāh} ‘for I am the LORD’ asserts divine identity and authority. The final ken {כֵֽן׃ | kên} ‘thus’ concludes the narrative action. |