| 9. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with wayyomer {וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | wayyōmer} ‘and he said’ in verb–subject order, emphasizing Yahweh {יְהוָ֜ה | Yə-hō-wāh} as speaker. The prepositional phrase el Mosheh {אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה | ʾel mōšeh} marks Moses as addressee. The particle hinnēh {הִנֵּ֨ה | hinnēh} introduces a solemn announcement, followed by the Qal participle bāʾ in ʾānōkî bāʾ {אָנֹכִ֜י בָּא | ʾānōkî bāʾ} ‘I am coming,’ conveying imminent divine action. The construct chain bə-ʿāv heʿānān {בְּעַב הֶעָנָן | bə-ʿāv heʿānān} ‘in the thick of the cloud’ denotes theophany. A purpose clause introduced by baʿăvūr {בַּעֲב֞וּר | baʿăvūr} ‘in order that’ governs yišmaʿ hāʿām {יִשְׁמַע הָעָם | yišmaʿ hāʿām} ‘may hear.’ The infinitive construct bədabberî ʿimmāḵ {בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ | bə-dabberî ʿimmāḵ} specifies God speaking with Moses. The coordinated clause wə-gam-bəḵā yaʾămînû lə-ʿōlām {וְגַם־בְּךָ יַאֲמִינוּ לְעוֹלָם | wə-gam-bəḵā yaʾămînû lə-ʿōlām} ‘and also in you they will believe forever’ highlights enduring confidence in Moses as mediator. Moses’ response is marked by wayyaggēḏ Mosheh ʾeṯ-dibərê hāʿām ʾel-Yə-hō-wāh {וַיַּגֵּד מֹשֶׁה אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָעָם אֶל־יְהוָה | wayyaggēḏ mōšeh ʾeṯ-dibərê hāʿām ʾel-Yə-hō-wāh}, where ʾeṯ highlights “the words of the people” and frames Moses as intermediary conveying Israel’s message back to the Divine. |