| 18. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the conditional particle im {אִם־ | ʾim} followed by the Qal perfect yatzati {יָצָ֣אתִי | yā-ṣā-ʾtî} ‘I went out’ and locative hasadeh {הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה | haś-śā-deh} ‘the field.’ The exclamatory vehinneh {وְהִנֵּה֙ | wə-hin-nēh} introduces sudden vision of challelei-cherev {חַלְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶב | ḥal-lê-ḥe-rev} ‘slain by the sword.’ A parallel clause with ve-im {וְאִם֙ | wə-ʾim} and Qal perfect bati {בָּ֣אתִי | bā-ʾtî} ‘I entered’ with ha-ir {הָעִ֔יר | hā-ʿîr} ‘the city’ and vehinneh {וְהִנֵּ֖ה | wə-hin-nēh} frames tachallu'ei-ra'av {תַּחֲלוּאֵ֣י רָעָ֑ב | ta-ḥă-lu-ʾê rā-ʿāv} ‘diseases of famine.’ The causal ki {כִּֽי־ | kî} with doubled gam {גַם־ | gam} links gam-navi {גַם־נָבִ֧יא | gam-nā-ḇîʾ} ‘prophet’ and gam-kohen {גַם־כֹּהֵ֛ן | gam-kō-hên} ‘priest’ to sacharu {סָחֲר֥וּ | sā-ḥă-rû} ‘they have gone about’ with el-eretz {אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ | ʾel-ʾe-reṣ} indicating movement through the land. The negation velo yada'u {וְלֹ֥א יָדָֽעוּ | wə-lō yā-ḏā-ʿû} conveys their lack of understanding and highlights leadership ignorance. |