| 16. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with ki {כִּי | kî} introducing a habitual condition, followed by the Qal imperfect yihyeh {יִהְיֶה | yih-yeh} conveying iterative occurrence. The dative phrase lahem {לָהֶם | lā-hem} links the subject davar {דָּבָר | dā-vār} to the people as any legal or relational case. The participle ba {בָּא | bāʾ} with elai {אֵלַי | ʾê-lay} depicts movement toward Moses. Sequential vav-consecutive forms veshafti {וְשָׁפַטְתִּי | wə-šā-phaṭ-tî} and vehodaʿti {וְהוֹדַעְתִּי | wə-hô-daʿ-tî} structure adjudication followed by instruction. The prepositional phrase bein ish u-vein reʿehu {בֵּין אִישׁ וּבֵין רֵעֵהוּ | bēn ʾîš û-bēn rē-ʿē-hû} emphasizes impartial mediation between closely related parties. The constructs et-chukkei ha-Elohim {אֶת־חֻקֵּי הָאֱלֹהִים | ʾeṯ-ḥuq-qê hā-ʾĕ-lō-hîm} and ve-et-torotav {וְאֶת־תּוֹרֹתָיו | wə-ʾeṯ-tô-rō-ṯāw} bind statutes and laws directly to God, underscoring divine authority behind Moses’ judgments. |