| 25. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav consecutive form va'amartem {וַאֲמַרְתֶּם | wa-ʾă-mar-tem} ‘and you say,’ which introduces the people’s objection. The negative particle lo {לֹא | lōʾ} negates the Nifal imperfect yitakhen {יִתָּכֵן | yit-tā-ḵēn} ‘be established,’ emphasizing perceived injustice. The noun derekh {דֶּרֶךְ | de-reḵ} ‘way’ is linked to the divine title Adonai {אֲדֹנָי | ʾă-dō-nāy}, indicating God’s conduct. The imperative šimʿū-nā {שִׁמְעוּ־נָא | šim-ʿū-nā} ‘hear now’ introduces the rebuttal directed at beit Yisrael {בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל | bêṯ yiś-rā-ʾēl}. Two rhetorical questions—ha-dar-kī lo yitakhen {הֲדַרְכִּי לֹא יִתָּכֵן | ha-dar-kī lōʾ yit-tā-ḵēn} ‘Is my way not established?’ and ha-lō dar-ḵê-ḵem lo yitakhen {הֲלֹא דַרְכֵיכֶם לֹא יִתָּכֵנוּ | ha-lōʾ dar-ḵê-ḵem lōʾ yit-tā-ḵē-nu} ‘Is it not your ways that are not established?’—use repetition of yitakhen to underscore the contrast between divine and human justice. |