| 11. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the adversative conjunction wa {וַ | wə} ‘but’ prefixed to the divine name Yahweh {יְהוָה | Yə-hō-wāh}, marking a contrast to the preceding lament. The second position object pronoun oti {אוֹתִי֙ | ʾō-ṯî} ‘me’ underscores the personal immediacy of divine presence. The simile introduced by kə {כְּ | kə} ‘like’ uses the noun gibbōr {גִּבּוֹר | gibbôr} ‘mighty one’ and adjective ʿā-rîṣ {עָרִיץ | ʿā-rîṣ} ‘terrible one’ to intensify the LORD’s power. The causal conjunction ʿal-kên {עַל־כֵּן | ʿal-kên} ‘therefore’ connects to the result clauses yiqqāšəlû {יִכָּשְׁל֖וּ | yiqqāšəlû} ‘they will stumble’ and yû-kā-lû {יוּכָּ֑לוּ | yû-kā-lû} ‘they will prevail’, both imperfect forms conveying future certainty. The perfect verb bō-šû {בֹּשׁוּ | bō-šû} with adverb mə-ʾōḏ {מְאֹד֙ | mə-ʾō-ḏ} ‘greatly’ expresses intense shame. The explanatory clause kî-lō hiskîlû {כִּי־לֹא הִשׂכִּילוּ | kî-lō hiskîlû} ‘for they did not act wisely’ functions as a reason clause. The construct phrase kə-lim-mmat ʿō-lām {כְּלִמַּת עוֹלָם | kə-lim-mmat ʿō-lām} ‘disgrace of eternity’ conveys perpetual dishonor, and the Nifal imperfect tiš-šā-kē-aḥ {תִשָּׁכֵֽחַ | tiš-šā-kē-aḥ} ‘will not be forgotten’ affirms enduring consequence. The English rendering preserves the Hebrew’s adversative, comparative, causal, and result structures while highlighting divine protection and the certainty of the pursuers’ failure. |