| 26. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with a conditional protasis introduced by im {אִם | ʾim} ‘if’ followed by an infinitive absolute–imperfect pair sha-mo-a tish-ma {שָׁמ֨וֹעַ תִּשְׁמַ֜ע | šā-môʾaʿ tiš-māʿ} ‘listening attentively…you will listen’, which intensifies the demand for obedience. The prepositional phrase le-qol Yahweh elohêkha {לְק֣וֹל יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ | lə-qōl Yə-hō-wāh ʾĕ-lō-hê-khā} ‘to the voice of the LORD your God’ functions as the direct object, anchoring divine authority. A sequence of three coordinated imperatives—ta-a-seh {תַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה | taʿ-ă-śêh} ‘you will do’, ve-ha-a-zan-ta {וְהַֽאֲזַנְתָּ֙ | wə-hă-ʾă-zan-tā} ‘you will give ear’, ve-sha-mar-ta {וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֖ | wə-šā-mar-tā} ‘you will keep’—specifies faithful response to covenant law. The relative clause a-sher sam-ti be-mits-ra-yim {אֲשֶׁר־שַׂמְתִּי בְמִצְרַיִם | ʾă-šer sām-tî bə-mits-rā-yim} ‘which I have placed in Egypt’ contrasts with the negative apodosis lo-a-shim a-lai-kha {לֹא־אָשִׂים עָלֶיךָ | lō-ʾā-šîm ʿā-lêy-khā} ‘I will not place upon you’. The conclusion, ki ani Yahweh ro-pe-e-kha {כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה רֹפְאֶךָ | kî ʾă-nî Yə-hō-wāh rō-pʾē-khā} ‘for I am the LORD your healer’, grounds the promise in divine identity and covenantal restoration. |