| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative particle vayhi {וַיְהִי | wa-yĭ-hî} ‘and it was’ (vav consecutive + wayyiqtol) introduces the prophetic formula. The construct chain devar–Yahweh {דְבַר־יְהוָה | dĕ-bār–Yə-hō-wāh} links ‘word’ to the divine name as possession. The phrase elai {אֵלַי | ʾê-lay} ‘to me’ marks Ezekiel as the recipient. The infinitive construct leʾemor {לֵאמֹר | lē-ʾĕ-mōr} ‘saying’ functions as a subordinating marker for direct discourse. The shift from Hebrew VSO order to English SVO maintains clarity without altering the oracular emphasis. |