| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the conjunction waw attached to vesikarti {וְסִכַּרְתִּי֙ | wə-sik-kar-tî} ‘and I will deliver’, signalling continuity within the prophetic narrative. The particle et {אֶת־ | ʾet} marks the definite direct object Mitzrayim {מִצְרַ֔יִם | miṣ-ray-yim} ‘Egypt’. The prepositional phrase be-yad adonim kasheh {בְּיַד אֲדֹנִים קָשֶׁה | bə-yad ă-də-nîm qā-shē} ‘under harsh rule’ depicts subjection. The clause u-melekh az yimshol-bam {וּמֶלֶךְ עַז יִמְשָׁל־בָּם | u-me-lekh ˓ăz yim-šal-bām} introduces a powerful king who will govern them. The term neʾum {נְאֻ֥ם | nə-ʾûm} ‘oracle declaration’ heralds the divine pronouncement, which includes the titles ha-adon {הָאָד֖וֹן | hā-ʾā-dôn} ‘the Lord’ and Yahweh tsevaot {יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת | Yə-hō-wāh ṣĕ-vā-ʾōt} ‘LORD of hosts’, underscoring authoritative judgement. The Hebrew VSO order foregrounds divine agency; the English SVO structure preserves clarity while maintaining the sequence of divine titles. |