| 13. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive ve-atta {וְאַתָּ֞ה | wə-’attā} “and you,” combining a conjunction with the second person pronoun for direct address, followed by the Qal perfect amarta {אָמַ֤רְתָּ | ’ā-mər-tā} “you said” as the speaking verb. The locative bilvavekha {בִֽלְבָבְךָ֙ | bil-vā-ḇĕ-ḵā} “in your heart” indicates the internal source of the utterance. The clause hashamayim e‘eleh {הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם אֶֽעֱלֶ֔ה | ha-šā-ma-yim ’e-‘ē-lāh} “the heavens I will ascend” expresses future-oriented ascent. The prepositional pair mima‘al lekokhvei-’el {מִמַּ֥עַל לְכֽוֹכְבֵי־אֵ֖ל | mi-ma-‘āl lə-ḵok-hĕ-vê-’ĕl} “from above to stars of God” constructs a vertical spatial hierarchy. The Hiphil imperfect arim {אָרִ֣ים | ’ā-rîm} “I will raise” with kis’i {כִּסְאִ֑י | kis-sē} “my throne” conveys volitional exaltation. The conjunction ve’eshev {וְאֵשֵׁ֥ב | wə-’ē-šēḇ} “and I will sit” combined with behar-mo‘ed {בְּהַר־מוֹעֵ֖ד | bə-har mō-‘ēḏ} “on the mountain of assembly” and beyarketei tsafon {בְּיַרְכְּתֵ֥י צָפֽוֹן | bə-ya-rĕk-tey ṣā-ṗōn} “in the far reaches of north” completes the chiastic structure heightening rhetorical impact. |