| 3. Linguistic Exegesis The verse is structured as a confession of renunciation built from three coordinated negated clauses, creating rhythmic parallelism and escalating focus from geopolitics to idolatry. First, the fronted subject ashur {אַשּׁוּר | ʾAššûr} is followed by lōʾ {לֹא | lōʾ} and the Hiphil verb yoshiʿenu {יוֹשִׁיעֵ֗נוּ | yôšîʿênû} ‘he will save us’, denying deliverance from an external empire. Next, the prepositional phrase ʿal-sus {עַל־סוּס֙ | ʿal-sûs} ‘upon a horse’ is placed before the negated verb nirkav {נִרְכָּ֔ב | nirkāḇ} ‘we will ride’, emphasizing refusal to seek security through military means. The third denial shifts to worship language: wə-lōʾ-nōʾmar {וְלֹא־נֹאמַר | wə-lōʾ-nōʾmar} ‘and we will not say’ plus ʿod {ע֚וֹד | ʿôḏ} ‘again’ introduces a decisive break, with ʾelohenu {אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ | ʾĕlōhênû} ‘our gods’ functioning as the quoted address directed lə-maʿăśê yāḏênû {לְמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֵ֑ינוּ | lə-maʿăśê yāḏênû} ‘to the work of our hands’, exposing handmade idols as the rejected object of devotion. The closing relative clause ʾăšer-bəḵā {אֲשֶׁר־בְּךָ֖ | ʾăšer-bəḵā} ‘which in You’ provides the theological ground: the passive yəruḥam {יְרֻחַ֥ם | yəruḥam} ‘he will be shown compassion’ presents mercy as something received rather than earned, and yāṯôm {יָתֽוֹם | yāṯôm} ‘orphan’ names the helpless beneficiary, making divine compassion the true basis for Israel’s return. |