| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with a vav-consecutive Hifil verb, vayyakkeh {וַיַּכֶּה | way-ya-kkeh} ‘and he struck,’ indicating sequential action. The proper name Pashhur {פַשְׁחוּר | paš-ḥūr} functions as subject, followed by the direct object marker et {אֵת | ʾēṯ} and the object Yirmeyahu {יִרְמְיָהוּ | yir-mə-yā-hū}, specified by the definite noun hanavi {הַנָּבִיא | han-nā-ḇîʾ}. The second vav-consecutive verb vayyiten {וַיִּתֵּן | way-yit-ten} ‘and he put’ introduces the action upon oto {אֹתוֹ | ʾō-tō}. The prepositional phrase al-hamahpekhet {עַל־הַמַּהְפֶּכֶת | ʿal-hammāhpēket} ‘on the stocks’ names the punitive device. Two nested relative clauses—first asher {אֲשֶׁר | ʾă-šer} with beshaar binyamin haelyon {בְּשַׁעַר בִּנְיָמִן הָעֶלְיוֹן | bə-šaʿ-ar bin-yā-mîn hā-ʿel-yôn} ‘in the upper Benjamin Gate,’ then asher {אֲשֶׁר | ʾă-šer} with bbeit Yahweh {בְּבֵית יְהוָה | bə-ḇêṯ Yə-hō-wāh} ‘in the house of the LORD’—precisely locates the scene at the sanctuary entrance. This structure underscores the interplay of civil and sacred authority at the city gate. |