| 34. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with vayhi {וַיְהִי־ | wa-yə-hî} ‘and it was’, a vav-consecutive verb marking consequence. Hefeck {הֵ֤פֶךְ | hê-p̄eḵ} ‘reversal’ is fronted for emphasis. The phrase min-hannashim {מִן־הַנָּשִׁים֙ | min-han-nā-šîm} ‘from the women’ sets up a contrast. Be-taznutayikh {בְּתַזְנוּתַ֔יִךְ | bə-ta-zə-nū-ṯa-yiḵ} ‘in your harlotries’ defines the context of unfaithfulness. The negated perfect clause ve-acharayikh lo zunah {וְאַחֲרַ֖יִךְ לֹ֣א זוּנָּ֑ה | wə-ʾa-ḥa-ra-yiḵ lōʾ zūn-nāh} indicates no one imitated her vice. The sequence u-be-tittekh etnan ve-etnan lo nittan-lakh {וּבְתִתֵּ֣ךְ אֶתְנָ֗ן וְאֶתְנַ֛ן לֹ֥א נִתַּן־לָ֖ךְ | û-ḇə-ti-ttēḵ ʾet-nān wə-ʾet-nan lōʾ nit-tan-lāḵ} juxtaposes giving and receiving to highlight inversion. Finally, va-tehi le-hefech {וַתְּהִ֥י לְהֶֽפֶךְ | wa-tə-hî lə-he-p̄eḵ} returns to the opening theme, underscoring the complete inversion of expectations. |