| 17. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with a prefixed conjunction vav and the Piel participle mekalel {וּמְקַלֵּל | ū-mə-qal-lēl} ‘one who curses,’ forming a nominal relative clause that functions as the subject. The coordinated direct objects aviv {אָבִיו | ʾā-ḇîw} ‘his father’ and imo {וְאִמּוֹ | wə-ʾim-mô} ‘his mother’ are linked by simple conjunction, emphasizing equal legal standing. The noun mot {מוֹת | mōṯ} ‘death’ operates as an accusative of result, indicating the consequence. Yumath {יוּמָת | yū-maṯ} ‘he shall be put to death,’ a Hophal imperfect third person masculine singular, expresses a legal prescription with modal necessity. In translation, the nominal clause is rendered as an agent + verb construction, and the Hophal imperfect is rendered with necessity (‘must be put to death’) to preserve the original imperative force. The Hebrew conjunction ve is rendered as ‘or’ to convey legal disjunction. |