| 24. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the future conditional formula vehayah im {וְ֠הָיָה אִם־ | wə-hā-yāh ʾim} indicating assured consequence. The prefixed infinitive absolute shamoa {שָׁמֹעַ | šā-mō-aʿ} coupled with the imperfect tishme'un {תִּשְׁמְעוּן | tiš-mə-ʿûn} intensifies the command to listen. Elai {אֵלַי | ʾē-lay} marks the divine address. The prophetic utterance ne'um Yahweh {נְאֻם־יְהוָה | nə-ʾum Yə-hō-wāh} functions as an authorizing tag. The apodosis comprises two parallel infinitive constructs in purpose clauses: levilti havi massa {לְבִלְתִּי הָבִיא מַשָּׂא | lə-ḇil-tî hā-ḇîʾ mas-śāʾ} and u-leqaddesh et-yom hashabbat {וּלְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת־יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת | ū-lə-qad-dēš ʾet-yōm ha-šab-bāṯ}. The construct chain besharei ha'ir hazot {בְּשַׁעֲרֵי הָעִיר הַזֹּאת | bə-ša-ʿă-rê hā-ʿîr haz-zōṯ} specifies location “in the gates of this city,” while beyom hashabbat {בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת | bə-yōm ha-šab-bāṯ} marks sacred time. The repeated negative levilti asot bo kol-melakhah {לְבִלְתִּי עֲשׂוֹת־בּוֹ כָּל־מְלָאכָה | lə-ḇil-tî ʿă-śōṯ bō kol-mə-lā-ʾāḵāh} intensifies the prohibition against all work. English rendering preserves the layered conditional and parallel structure to maintain legal force and rhetorical balance. |