| 21. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | way-yō-ʾmer} ‘and He said’, a sequential waw narrative verb introducing divine speech at Sinai. The subject Yahweh {יְהוָה | Yə-hō-wāh} appears with el-Mosheh {אֶל־מֹשֶׁה | ʾel-mō-šeh} ‘to Moses’, designating Moses as mediator. The paired imperatives red {רֵד | rēḏ} ‘go down’ and haed {הָעֵד | hā-ʿēḏ} ‘warn’ combine movement with authoritative admonition. Baam {בָּעָם | bā-ʿām} ‘among the people’ specifies the audience. The conjunction pen {פֶּן | pen} introduces a negative purpose clause with yeheresu {יֶהֶרְסוּ | ye-hersû} ‘they break through’, depicting an illicit approach. This is qualified by el-Yahweh {אֶל־יְהוָה | ʾel-Yə-hō-wāh} ‘toward the LORD’ and the infinitive lirot {לִרְאוֹת | lir-ʾôṯ} ‘to see’, emphasizing the forbidden gaze at divine presence. The consequence clause uses venafal {וְנָפַל | wə-nā-phal} ‘and they will fall’, with mimennu {מִמֶּנּוּ | mim-men-nû} ‘from it’ and rav {רָב | rāḇ}, establishing a fatal result. The sequence from command to warning to consequence underscores the peril of unauthorized approach to the holy God. |