| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the logical connector laken {לָכֵן | lâ-ḵên} ‘therefore’, followed by the prophetic formula koh {כֹּה | kô} ‘thus’ and amar {אָמַר | ’ā-mar} ‘said’, signaling direct speech. The compound divine title Adonai Yahweh {אֲדֹנָי יְהוִ֔ה | ’ă-dō-nay yĕ-hō-wāh} ‘Lord GOD’ asserts divine authority. The comparative ka-asher {כַּאֲשֶׁר | ka-’ă-šer} ‘as/like’ introduces the simile. The construct chain etz-ha-gefen {עֵץ-הַגֶּפֶן | ’êṣ–ha-ḡê-pen} ‘wood of the vine’ in b’etz ha-ya’ar {בְּעֵץ הַיַּעַר | bĕ-’êṣ–ha-ya-’ar} ‘among the trees of the forest’ sets up the comparison. The verb netativ {נְתַתִּ֥יו | nĕ-ṯat-tî-yōw} ‘I have given’ directs the object to la-esh {לָאֵשׁ | lā-’êš} ‘the fire’ for the purpose of le-okhlah {לְאָכְלָה | lə-’ō-ḵlâ} ‘consuming’. A parallel ken natati {כֵּן נָתַתִּי | kên nā-ṯat-tî} ‘so I have given’ repeats this construction with et-yoshvei Yerushalayim {אֶת-יֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלָם | ’et–yō-šê-wê yĕ-rū-šā-lā-yim} ‘the inhabitants of Jerusalem’, reinforcing the judicial verdict through chiastic repetition. The formal rendering adheres closely to Hebrew structure, while the dynamic translation clarifies the metaphor in natural English. |