| 17. Linguistic Exegesis The verse presents a single apodictic prohibition marked by lo {לֹא | lōʾ} ‘not’ followed by the imperfect of tachmod {תַחְמֹד | taḥ-mōḏ} ‘to covet,’ indicating an ongoing injunction. In the first clause, beit re’ekha {בֵּית רֵעֶךָ | bêt rē-ʿe-kā} functions as a construct phrase ‘house of your neighbor.’ The formula repeats in the second clause, expanding into a paratactic list introduced by the prefixed conjunction waw {וְ | wə-}, enumerating eshet re’ekha {אֵשֶׁת רֵעֶךָ | ʾē-šeṯ rē-ʿe-kā}, ve-avdo {וְעַבְדּוֹ | wə-ʿaḇ-dô}, va-amato {וַאֲמָתוֹ | wa-ʾă-mā-tô}, ve-shoro {וְשׁוֹרוֹ | wə-šō-rô}, and va-chamoro {וַחֲמֹרוֹ | wa-ḥă-mō-rô}. The final relative clause ve-kol asher le-re’ekha {וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר לְרֵעֶךָ | wə-ḵōl ʾă-šer lə-rē-ʿe-kā} ‘and all that belongs to your neighbor’ ensures comprehensive coverage of possessions. The formal reconstruction mirrors the repetition of lo + tachmod, whereas the dynamic reconstruction shifts to idiomatic expressions ‘set your heart’ and ‘crave’ for stylistic variation. |