| 3. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the prophetic formula veamarta {וְאָמַרְתָּ֞ | wə-ʾā-mar-tā} ‘and you shall say,’ introducing divine speech. Koh-amar {כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר | kō-ʾā-mar} ‘thus says’ asserts authority and transitions into the message. The compound title adonai Yahweh {אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה | ʾă-dō-nāy Yə-hō-wāh} emphasizes the LORD’s supreme sovereignty. A sequence of noun-adjective constructs—hanesher hagadol {הַנֶּשֶׁר הַגָּדוֹל | han-ne-šer ha-gā-ḏōl}, gedol haknafayim {גְּד֤וֹל הַכְּנָפַ֙יִם | gə-ḏōl ha-kə-na-fā-yim}, erekh haever {אֶ֣רֶךְ הָאֵ֔בֶר | ʾe-reḵ hā-ʾê-ḇer}, and male hanotse {מָלֵא֙ הַנּוֹצָ֔ה | mā-lēʾ han-nō-ṣāh}—builds the image of the majestic eagle. The relative clause asher-lo-harikmah {אֲשֶׁר־ל֖וֹ הָֽרִקְמָ֑ה | ʾă-šer-lō hā-rik-māh} specifies its variegated feathers. The perfect ba {בָּ֚א | bā} ‘came’ followed by the wayyiqtol vayikkakh {וַיִּקַּ֖ח | way-yiq-qāḥ} ‘and he took’ creates a vivid sequential action. The direct object marker et {אֶת־ | ʾet} highlights the object’s significance, underscoring the cedar’s top as the focal point of the prophetic symbol. |