| 15. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the particle hen {הֵן | hēn} ‘behold’, marking an emphatic declaration. The Qal imperfect yikteleni {יִקְטְלֵנִי | yiqṭəlēnî} ‘he will slay me’ presents a stark hypothetical emphasizing divine power over life. The pairing of lo {לא | lōʾ} ‘not’ and lo {ל֣וֹ | lō} ‘to him’ frames the direction of Job’s resolve articulated by the Piel imperfect ayachel {אֲיַחֵל | ʾăyaḥēl} ‘I will hope’. The adversative akh {אַךְ | ʾaḵ} signals intensification leading into akh-derakhai {אַךְ־דְּרָכַי | ʾaḵ-dərāḵay} ‘surely my ways’, highlighting Job’s integrity. The prepositional phrase el-panav {אֶל־פָּנָיו | ʾel-pānāw} ‘to his face’ underscores a direct confrontation, and the Hiphil imperfect okhiach {אוֹכִיחַ | ʾôḵîaḥ} ‘I will argue’ frames Job’s defense in legal terms before the divine judge. |