| 13. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with vehinneh {וְהִנֵּה | wə-hin-nēh} ‘and behold,’ a sudden-shift marker. The parallel pair sason {שָׂשׂוֹן | sā-sōn} ‘joy’ and vesimchah {שִׂמְחָה | sim-ḥāh} ‘gladness’ intensifies the celebratory tone. A sequence of infinitive absolutes—harog {הָרֹג | hā-rōg} ‘killing,’ veshachot {וְשָׁחֹט | wə-ša-ḥōṭ} ‘and slaughtering,’ akhol {אָכֹל | ʾā-kōl} ‘eating,’ vesatot {וְשָׁתוֹת | wə-šā-ṯōṯ} ‘and drinking’—depicts rapid, unrestrained feast actions. The Qal imperatives akhol {אָכֹל | ʾā-kōl} ‘eat’ and vesato {וְשָׁתוֹ | wə-šā-ṯō} ‘and drink’ function as a communal slogan. The causal clause ki machar namut {כִּי מָחָר נָמוּת | kî mā-ḥār nā-mūt} concludes with existential finality. English syntax preserves the Hebrew emphasis and rhythm while ensuring clarity. |