| 7. Linguistic Exegesis The verse presents a sequence of wayyiqtol forms to sustain narrative flow. The verb vayetse {וַיֵּצֵא | way-yē-ṣēʾ} ‘and he went out’ with the infinitive liqrat {לִקְרַאת | liq-rāṯ} marks purposeful motion toward khotno {חֹתְנוֹ | ḥōṯ-nō}. The actions vayishtakhu {וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ | way-yish-ta-ḥû} and vayishaq-lō {וַיִּשַּׁק־ל֔וֹ | way-yish-ša-q-lō} depict customary gestures of reverence and affection. The narrative shifts to the plural subject in vayishalu {וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ | way-yish-ʾă-lû}, employing the construct ish-lere’ehu {אִישׁ־לְרֵעֵהוּ | ʾîš-lə-rē-ʿē-hû} modified by leshalom {לְשָׁלוֹם | lə-šā-lôm} to convey mutual concern for welfare. The final wayyavo’u ha’ohelah {וַיָּבֹאוּ הָאֹהֱלָה | way-yā-ḇō-ʾû hā-ʾō-he-lāh} uses the directional he to indicate entry, shifting the scene into an intimate interior space. |