| 1. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav consecutive wayyiqtol verb vayavo {וַיָּב֤וֹא | way-yā-ḇōʾ} linking sequentially from the prior narrative, followed by the directional preposition elai {אֵלַי֙ | ʾê-lay} marking approach to the prophet. The plural noun anashim {אֲנָשִׁ֔ים | ʾă-nā-šîm} is specified by the construct phrase miziknei yisrael {מִזִּקְנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | mi-zik-nê yiś-rā-ʾêl}, expressing a partitive “men from among the elders of Israel.” The second wayyiqtol verb vayeshevu {וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ | way-yē-šə-ḇū} denotes completed action, and the locative preposition lefanai {לְפָנָֽי | lə-fā-nāy} indicates positioning “before me.” English rendering preserves Hebrew order with added articles and slight reordering of prepositional elements for natural flow and clarity. |