| 14. Linguistic Exegesis The Hebrew phrase ve-arel {וְעָרֵל | wə-ʿā-rēl} “and uncircumcised” serves as a nominal modifier of zakhar {זָכָר | zā-ḵār} “male,” defining the subject class. A relative clause with asher {אֲשֶׁר | ʾă-šer} “who” and the negative lo {לֹא | lō} precedes the Niphal imperfect yimmol {יִמּוֹל | yim-mōl} “does not circumcise,” expressing covenant noncompliance. The direct object marker et {אֶת | ʾeṯ} introduces the phrase besar orlato {בְּשַׂר עָרְלָת֔וֹ | bə-śar ʿor-lā-tô} “the flesh of his foreskin,” specifying the required sign. The vav-consecutive ve-nikhretah {וְנִכְרְתָה | wə-nik-rə-ṯāh} “and shall be cut off” shifts to a judicial result clause, with hanefesh hahi {הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא | han-ne-feš ha-hî} “that person” as its subject. The prepositional phrase meammeha {מֵעַמֶּיהָ | mē-ʿam-mê-hā} “from her people” marks exclusion from the covenant community. The final perfect hepar {הֵפַר | hê-par} “has broken” affirms that the act constitutes a completed violation of the divine covenant expressed by beriti {בְּרִיתִי | bə-rî-ti}. The progression from condition to consequence underscores individual responsibility and the binding nature of the covenant. |