| 25. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the narrative verb vayomer {וַיֹּ֤אמֶר | way-yō-mer} ‘and He said’, introducing direct speech. The proper noun mosheh {מֹשֶׁה֙ | mō-šeh} identifies the speaker. The Qal imperative ikhluhu {אִכְלֻהוּ | ʾiḵ-lu-hû} ‘eat it’ addresses the community. The adverbial hayyom {הַיּ֔וֹם | ha-yôm} ‘today’ appears three times, emphasizing the temporal setting. The causal kî {כִּֽי | kî} links to the nominal clause šab-bāṯ hayyom {שַׁבָּ֥ת הַיּ֖וֹם | šab-bāṯ ha-yôm} ‘Sabbath day’, specified by the prepositional la-Yə-hō-wāh {לַיהוָ֑ה | la-Yə-hō-wāh} ‘to the LORD’, marking consecration. The prohibition uses the negative particle lōʾ {לֹ֥א | lōʾ} plus the imperfect timṣāʾūhu {תִמְצָאֻ֖הוּ | tim-ṣā-ʾu-hû} ‘you will find it’, expressing future negation. The phrase bas-śā-deh {בַּשָּׂדֶֽה | bas-śā-deh} ‘in the field’ contrasts the usual gathering place with Sabbath rest. The repetition of hayyom and the connective underscores the day’s sanctity and the interplay of divine command and communal obedience. |