| 22. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the Jussive Nifal tishama {תִּשָּׁמַ֤ע | tiš-šā-maʿ} ‘let it be heard’, expressing a petition for divine action. Zeakah {זְעָקָה֙ | zə-ʿā-qāh} ‘cry’ serves as the subject, modified by the source phrase mibateihem {מִבָּתֵּיהֶ֔ם | mib-bā-ttê-hem} ‘from their houses’. The conjunction ki {כִּֽי | kî} introduces causal clauses: first linking the plea to the Hifil imperfect tavi {תָבִ֧יא | tā-ḇîʾ} ‘you bring’, then to the perfect verbs karu {כָּר֤וּ | kā-rû} and tamnu {טָמְנ֥וּ | ṭām-nû}, which describe the enemy’s preparations. Gedud {גְּד֖וּד | gə-ḏûḏ} ‘troop’ combined with pitom {פִּתְאֹם | pit-ʾōm} ‘suddenly’ heightens the immediacy of judgment. The nouns shucha {שׁוּחָה֙ | šû-ḥāh} ‘pit’ and upakhim {וּפַחִ֖ים | û-pā-ḥîm} ‘snares’ are instruments of entrapment, each linked to purpose by the infinitive lelakhdeni {לְלָכְדֵ֔נִי | lə-lā-ḵdê-nî} ‘to catch me’ and the prepositional phrase leraglai {לְרַגְלָֽי | lə-ra-ḡlāy} ‘for my feet’. The sequence of perfect verbs followed by purpose clauses underscores the certainty and deliberation of the enemy’s schemes. |