| 3. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the interrogative maddua {מַדּוּעַ | maddûaʿ} ‘why’, initiating a rhetorical challenge. It consists of two Niphal perfect predicates, nekhshavnu {נֶחְשַׁבְנוּ | neḥšabnû} ‘we were considered’ and nitminu {נִטְמִימוּ | niṭmînû} ‘we were regarded as senseless’, forming parallel clauses that intensify the reproach. The comparative simile kabehemah {כַבְּהֵמָה | ka-bə-hēmāh} ‘as cattle’ underscores dehumanization, while the prepositional phrase beeineikhem {בְּעֵינֵיכֶם | bə-ʿê-nê-khem} ‘in your eyes’ locates the shame in the addressees’ judgmental perspective. The coordination marked by the vav conveys additive emphasis, and the stative Niphal voice emphasizes the speaker’s assigned status rather than action. |