| 21. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the narrative formula vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | way-yō-mer} ‘And He said’, resuming the dialogue. The phrase elav {אֵלָיו | ʾê-lāw} ‘to him’ marks the addressee. Hinneh {הִנֵּה | hin-nēh} ‘Behold’ functions as a discourse marker highlighting a significant concession. The idiom nasati panekha {נָשָׂאתִי פָנֶיךָ | nā-śā-ṯî pā-ne-kā} ‘I have lifted your face’ conveys divine favor. The coordinator gam {גַּם | gam} ‘also’ extends this favor, while ladavar hazeh {לַדָּבָר הַזֶּה | laḏ-dā-ḇār haz-zeh} ‘to this matter’ specifies its scope. The purpose clause introduced by levilti hafkhi {לְבִלְתִּי הָפְכִּי | lə-ḇil-tî hā-ph-kî} ‘so as not to overthrow’ expresses the intentional withholding of destructive action. The marker et {אֶת־ | ʾeṯ} introduces et-ha-ir {הָעִיר | hā-ʿîr} ‘the city’, and the relative clause asher dibarta {אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ | ʾă-šer dib-bar-tā} ‘which you have spoken of’ further defines it. The English rendering preserves the logical progression from concession to extended request to promised restraint through clear connectors. |