| 28. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the direct address ve-atta ben-adam {וְאַתָּה בֶן־אָדָם | wə-ʾat-tā ben-ʾā-ḏām} 'and you, son of man,' engaging the prophet. The Niphal imperative hinave {הִנָּבֵא | hin-nā-ḇēʾ} 'prophesy' is followed by the vav-consecutive perfect ve-amarta {וְאָמַרְתָּ | wə-ʾā-mar-tā} 'and say,' framing the command. The oracle formula ko amar Adonai Yahweh {כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה | kōh ʾā-mar ʾă-ḏō-nāy Yə-hō-wāh} 'thus says the Lord GOD' asserts divine authority. The double object el-benei Ammon ve-el-kherpatam {אֶל־בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן וְאֶל־חֶרְפָּתָם | ʾel-bə-nē ʿam-mōn wə-ʾel-kher-pā-tām} 'to the sons of Ammon and to their reproach' targets both people and offense. The poetic repetition kherev kherev {חֶרֶב חֶרֶב | khe-rev khe-rev} 'sword, sword' intensifies the threat, while the participles petukhah, meruttah, ma-unah {פְּתוּחָה, מְרֻטָּה, מָעוּנָה | pə-ṭū-ḥāh, mə-ruṭ-ṭāh, mā-ʿū-nāh} 'drawn, polished, sharpened' with infinitives la-tevakh, le-valleea, le-va-raq {לַטֶּבַח, לְבַלֵּעַ, לְבָרָק | la-te-vakh, lə-ḇal-lēʿ, lə-ḇā-rāq} 'for slaughter, to devour, for lightning' enumerate its deadly purpose, highlighting the completeness of divine judgment. |