| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The verse is a tightly balanced poetic statement with two coordinated cola joined by vav. vehitzigani {וְֽ֭הִצִּגַנִי | wə-hiṣṣîḡanî} is a Hifil perfect verb introducing an external actor setting Job in a dishonored state. limshol {לִמְשֹׁל | limšōl} is a lamed + infinitive construct indicating purpose or result, marking Job’s status “to be a proverb,” with ammim {עַמִּים | ʿammîm} specifying the broad social scope. The second cola parallels the first with vetophet {וְתֹפֶת | wə-ṭōp̄eṯ}, a noun of shame, followed by lefanim {לְפָנִים | lə-pānîm}, a locative plural phrase emphasizing public, face-to-face humiliation. The closing imperfect ehyeh {אֶֽהְיֶֽה | ʾehyeh} projects this disgrace into the future (“I will be”). A contested reading links tofet {תֹפֶת | ṭōp̄eṯ} to musical instruments, but its collocation with “before faces” favors a contempt image. |