| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the prepositional phrase uveruakh {וּבְר֤וּחַ | ū-və-rū-ḥ} “and-by-breath,” where the vav conjunction and prefix be attach to ruach in construct to link divine action to apekha {אַפֶּ֙יךָ֙ | ’a-pē-kha} “of-your-nostrils.” Two successive Niphal perfect verbs, neʿermu {נֶ֣עֶרְמוּ | nə-ʿer-mū} “they-were-heaped-up” and nitsvu {נִצְּב֥וּ | nits-vu} “they-stood,” present the accumulation and standstill of the waters. The simile kemo-ned {כְמוֹ־נֵ֖ד | kə-mō-nēd} “like-a-mound” contrasts with the participle nozlim {נֹזְלִ֑ים | nō-z̆līm} “streaming,” blending solidity and motion. The verb kafu {קָֽפְא֥וּ | kā-p̄-ū} “they-congealed” and noun tehomot {תְהֹמֹ֖ת | tə-hō-mōt} “deep-waters” underscore the supernatural freezing of the abyss. Finally, the locative belev-yam {בְּלֶב־יָֽם | bə-lĕv-yām} “in-the-heart-of-the-sea” anchors the event at the sea’s center. English semicolons preserve the Hebrew poetic stages and momentum. |