| 1. Linguistic Exegesis The clause opens with the verb vayedabber {וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר | way-də-bēr} ‘and He spoke’, a vav-consecutive Piel imperfect that advances the narrative and highlights divine initiative. The subject Elohim {אֱלֹהִים | ʾĕ-lō-hîm} follows, creating a verb–subject–object order that emphasizes the action before naming the Speaker. The particle et {אֵת | ʾēt} marks the definite direct object, introducing kol-haddevarim ha-eleh {כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה | kōl-had-də-bā-rîm hā-ʾēl-leh} ‘all these words’ as the full content of speech. Within this phrase, kol governs haddevarim to convey exhaustive scope, while ha-eleh specifies these particular statements. The infinitive construct leemor {לֵאמֹר | lē-ʾmōr} functions as a discourse marker introducing the Decalogue. In English, the Hebrew VSO structure is rendered as subject–verb–object to preserve clarity and maintain emphasis on divine speech in introducing the covenant law. |