| 9. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with the vav-consecutive prefix vayirdefu {וַיִּרְדְּפוּ | va-yir-dĕ-p̄û} ‘and they pursued’, indicating continuation of the historical storyline. The directional phrase acharehem {אַחֲרֵיהֶם | ăḥă-rêhêm} ‘after them’ marks pursuit, with otam {אוֹתָם | ʾôṯām} as the direct object. The participle chonim {חֹנִים | ḥōnîm} ‘camping’ establishes the Israelites’ posture, coupled with the locative al-hayam {עַל־הַיָּם | ʿal-hayyām} ‘by the sea’. The enumerative chain kol-sus rechev paro u-parashav ve-cheylo {כָּל־סוּס רֶכֶב פַּרְעֹה וּפָרָשָׁיו וְחֵילוֹ | kol-sūs re-ḵeb parʿō ū-perāšāyw wə-ḥêlô} itemizes Pharaoh’s military assets. Lastly, the topographical formula al-pi hachirot lifnei baal-tsefon {עַל־פִּי הַחִירֹת לִפְנֵי בַּעַל־צְפֹן | ʿal-pî ha-ḥîrôṯ lif-nê baʿal-ṣəphôn} situates the action at the mouth of the pass opposite Baal Zephon, emphasizing the strategic coastal terrain. |