| 20. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with a fronted prepositional phrase, al-yomo {עַל־י֭וֹמוֹ | ʿal-yômô} ‘at his day,’ which sets the temporal frame and highlights the occasion for communal reaction. The first clause employs verb-first order with nashammu {נָשַׁ֣מּוּ | nāšammû} ‘were appalled’ preceding acharonim {אַחֲרֹנִ֑ים | ʾaḥărōnîm} ‘later ones,’ a poetic inversion that emphasizes emotional impact before identifying the participants. The second clause, coordinated by vav, mirrors this structure: veqadmonim {וְ֝קַדְמֹנִ֗ים | wə-qadmōnîm} ‘and former ones’ + achazu {אָ֣חֲזוּ | ʾāḥăzû} ‘seized’ + saar {שָֽׂעַר | śāʿar} ‘horror.’ Together, acharonim and qadmonim form a merism that conveys a universal response across time. Perfect verbs in both clauses present these reactions as settled truths, consistent with wisdom-poetry’s portrayal of the fate awaiting the wicked. |