| 3. Linguistic Exegesis This verse employs a series of vav-consecutive verbs to present divine judgment and human desperation. First, venavkah {וְנָבְקָה | wə-nā-ḇə-qāh} ‘and it will be emptied’ (Niphal imperfect with vav-consecutive, third person feminine singular) and its subject ruakh-mitzrayim {רוּחַ-מִצְרַיִם | rūaḥ-miṣrāyim} ‘spirit of Egypt’ establish the internal collapse. The locative beqirbo {בְּקִרְבּוֹ | bə-qir-bō} ‘in its midst’ situates this demoralization within Egypt. The verb avallea {אֲבַלֵּעַ | ʾă-bal-lē-ʻaʿ} ‘I will swallow up’ asserts divine action removing sound counsel. The perfect verb vedarshu {וְדָרְשׁוּ | dā-rə-šū} ‘they will seek’ introduces reliance on non-divine sources: idols elilim {אֱלִילִים | ʾelī-lîm} ‘idols’, charmers itim {אִטִּים | ʾî-tîm} ‘charmers’, mediums ovot {אֹבֹות | ō-voṯ} ‘mediums’, and wizards yiddeonim {יִּדְּעֹנִֽים | yid-de-ʿō-nîm} ‘wizards’. The cumulative asyndeton with repeated vav conjunctions intensifies the depiction of spiritual collapse. |