| 5. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the particle hinneh {הִנֵּה | hin-nēh} ‘behold,’ marking an attention command. The infinitive state construction bihyoto tamim {בִּֽהְיוֹת֣וֹ תָמִ֔ים | bih-yō-ṯō tā-mîm} establishes a temporal-state clause “when it was whole.” The negative passive lo yeaseh limelakhah {לֹ֥א יֵֽעָשֶׂ֖ה לִמְלָאכָ֑ה | lō yē-‘ā-śeh li-mə-lā-ḵāh} in the Niphal imperfect conveys inability—“it is not made for work.” The adversative conjunction af ki {אַ֣ף כִּי־ | ʾaf kî} “how much less” introduces an intensifying comparison. The compound verb sequence esh akhalathu vayyekhar {אֵ֤שׁ אֲכָלַ֙תְהוּ֙ וַיֵּחָ֔ר | ʾēš ʾă-ḵā-laṯ-hū way-yē-ḥār} “when fire has consumed it and it is charred” presents perfect passive results. Finally, venaaseh od limelakhah {וְנַעֲשָׂ֥ה ע֖וֹד לִמְלָאכָֽה | wə-na-‘ă-śeh ‘ōḏ li-mə-lā-ḵāh} “and can it still be made for work” forms a rhetorical question, with od ‘ōḏ “still” underscoring the impossibility of further usefulness. |