| 20. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with velo {וְלֹא | wə-lōʾ} ‘and not’, negating sham'u {שָׁמְעוּ | šā-mə-ʿû} ‘they listened’, highlighting a failure to obey. The prepositional phrase el Moshe {אֶל־מֹשֶׁה | ʾel-mō-šeh} marks the intended recipient of the instruction. Vav consecutive Hiphil vayotiru {וַיּוֹתִרוּ | way-yō-tî-rû} ‘they left over’ indicates voluntary action by anashim {אֲנָשִׁים | ʾă-nā-šîm}, with mimmennu {מִמֶּנּוּ | mim-men-nū} ‘from it’ referring to manna. The temporal clause ad boker {עַד־בֹּקֶר | ʿad-bō-qer} ‘until morning’ sets a deadline. A rapid chain of wayyiqtol sequences follows: vayyārum {וַיָּ֥רֻם | way-yā-rum} ‘it bred’, yielding tola'im {תוֹלָעִים | tô-lā-ʿîm} ‘maggots’, then vayyib'aš {וַיִּבְאַשׁ | way-yib-ʾaš} ‘it became foul’, culminating in vayyikṣof {וַיִּקְצֹף | way-yiq-ṣōp} ‘he became angry’. The prepositional phrase ʿaleihem {עֲלֵיהֶם | ʿă-lê-hem} ‘against them’ specifies the target of Moses’ indignation. This tight narrative sequencing underscores cause and effect between disobedience and divine-human response. |