| 7. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive form vayehi {וַיְהִי | wayyəhî} ‘and it was’, marking a new narrative turn. Its subject is introduced by nesher echad gadol gedol kenafayim ve-rav notzah {נֶשֶׁר־אֶחָד גָּד֔וֹל גְּד֥וֹל כְּנָפַ֖יִם וְרַב־נוֹצָ֑ה | nešer ʾeḥād gādōl gĕdōl kənāp̄ayim wə-rāv nōṣā} ‘one great eagle, great of wings and abundant in plumage’, employing doubled adjectives for intensification. The interjection ve-hineh {וְהִנֵּה֩ | wə-hinnē} ‘and behold’ shifts focus to the vine (hagefen hazot {הַגֶּ֨פֶן הַזֹּ֜את | ha-gēpen ha-zôt}). The perfect verbs kafnah {כָּֽפְנָ֧ה | kāpnâ} and shilchah-lo {שִׁלְחָה־לּ֔וֹ | šilḥāh-lō} ‘bent’ and ‘stretched to him’ personify its movement of roots (sharasheha {שָׁרֳשֶׁ֣יהָ | šārôšēhā}) and branches (ve-daliyotav {וְדָֽלִיּוֹתָיו֙ | wə-dālîyōtāw}). The infinitive le-hashkot {לְהַשְׁק֣וֹת | lə-hašqôt} expresses purpose ‘to water it’, and the genitive chain me-arugot mattaha {מֵעֲרֻג֖וֹת מַטָּעָֽהּ | mĕʿărûgôṯ mə-ṭāʿāh} ‘from the beds of its planting’ indicates location. The Hebrew syntax underscores the allegory of dependence. |