| 17. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav-consecutive vayaasu {וַיַּעֲשׂוּ | way-yaʿăśû} “and they did,” linking back to the preceding command on manna. The adverb ken {כֵן | kēn} “so” signals direct compliance. The construct phrase benei yisrael {בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל | bə-nê yiś-rā-ʾēl} “sons of Israel” functions as the collective subject. A second vav-consecutive, vayilketu {וַיִּלְקְטוּ | way-yil-qəṭû} “and they gathered,” describes the action. The substantival participles hamarbeh {הַמַּרְבֶּה | ham-mar-béh} “the one gathering much” and vehamamit {וְהַמַּמְעִיט | wə-ham-mam-ʿîṭ} “and the one gathering little” establish a distributive contrast that anticipates the equalization in the next verse. In English, the wayyiqtol forms are rendered in simple past to preserve narrative flow, while participles are retained in present tense to convey ongoing activity. |