| 17. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the disjunctive particle o {אוֹ | ʾô} ‘or,’ presenting an alternative conditional clause. The subject is the speaker, who brings (avi {אָבִ֖יא | ʾā-ḇî}) the sword (cherev {חֶ֥רֶב | ḥe-reḇ}) upon the specific land (ha-aretz ha-hi {הָאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֑יא | hā-ʾā-reṣ ha-hî}). The conjunction plus perfect ve-amarti {וְאָמַרְתִּ֗י | wə-ʾā-mar-tî} introduces direct speech, using the Qal imperfect jussive taavor {תַּעֲבֹר | ta-ʿă-ḇōr} ‘may pass through.’ The Hifil perfect ve-hichrati {וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י | wə-hiḵ-ra-tî} ‘and I cut off’ follows, with mimena {מִמֶּ֖נָּה | mim-men-nāh} marking the source of destruction: adam {אָדָם | ʾā-dām} and uvehemah {וּבְהֵמָה | u-ḇə-hê-māh}. The parallel pairing underscores the totality of divine judgment. |