| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The verse features a chain of participial actions describing the tyrant’s violence: the Hiphil participle maqqēh {מַכֶּה | mǎqqĕh} ‘striking’ is paralleled by the Qal participle rōdĕh {רֹדֶה | rōdĕh} ‘ruling,’ each framed by intensifying prepositional phrases bĕʿěḇrāh {בְּעֶבְרָה | bĕʿěḇrāh} ‘in wrath’ and bā’āp {בָּאַף | bā’āp} ‘in anger.’ The construct chain mǎqqāt biltî sārâh {מַכַּת בִּלְתִּי סָרָה | mǎqqāt biltî sārâh} ‘blow without ceasing’ amplifies the unremitting assault. The Pual participle murdâf {מֻרְדָּף | murdâf}, though typically passive, is rendered actively here to underscore relentless persecution, further marked by the negative clause bəlî ḥāšāḵ {בְּלִ֥י חָשָׂךְ | bəlî ḥāšāḵ} ‘without restraint.’ This progression from participles to a passive form used actively builds a crescendo of unbridled violence. |