| 16. Linguistic Exegesis The conjunction vechi {וְכִי | wə-ḥî} introduces a conditional protasis. The Piel imperfect yefatteh {יְפַתֶּה | yə-pat-teh} conveys deliberate persuasion, with ish {אִישׁ | ʾîš} as subject and betulah {בְּתוּלָה | bə-tū-lāh} as object, modified by the negative relative clause asher lo-orasah {אֲשֶׁר לֹא־אֹרָשָׂה | ʾă-šer lō-ʾō-rā-sāh} “who is not betrothed.” The Vav-consecutive perfect veshakhav {וְשָׁכַב | wə-šā-ḵaḇ} shifts to the act of sexual union, followed by the jussive Piel imperfect with energic nun in yimharennah {יִמְהָרֶנָּה | yĭmhā-rĕn-nāh}, expressing an obligational result. The final prepositional phrases low {לוֹ | lōw} and leishah {לְאִשָּׁה | lĕ-ʾiš-šāh} specify the beneficiary and resultant status. English mirrors the Hebrew “if… then” cause-effect sequence to preserve legal structure. |