| 12. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the verb amar {אָמַ֣ר | ʾāmar} ‘he said’ introducing direct speech, followed by the subject participle shomer {שֹׁמֵ֔ר | šōmēr} identifying the sentinel speaker. The paired temporal nouns boqer {בֹ֖קֶר | bōqer} ‘morning’ and vegam-lailah {וְגַם־לָ֑יְלָה | wə-gām-laylāh} ‘and also night’ form an antithetical parallel without an overt verb, which English supplies as “is coming.” The conditional imtivayun {אִם־תִּבְעָי֥וּן | ʾim-tivʿāyūn} ‘if you will inquire’ precedes the imperative be'ayu {בְּעָ֖יוּ | bə-ʿāyū} ‘inquire!’, creating a protasis–apodosis with repetition. The successive imperatives shuvu {שֻׁ֥בוּ | šubbū} ‘return!’ and etayu {אֵתָֽיוּ | ʼēṯāyū} ‘come!’ conclude the speech with a forceful summons that balances invitation and warning. |