| 14. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav-consecutive imperfect vayomeru {וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ | wayyōmrû}, introducing direct speech that highlights the speakers’ defiance. The direct address la’el {לָאֵל | lā’ēl} focuses attention on God as the recipient, intensifying the confrontation. The imperative sûr {ס֣וּר | sûr} “depart” combined with the pronominal mimmennû {מִמֶּנוּ | mimmennû} “from us” conveys emphatic rejection. The conjunction weda‘at {וְדַעַת | wəda‘aṯ} introduces the construct da‘at dərākêḵā {דַעַת דְּרָכֶיךָ | da‘at dərākêḵā} “knowledge of Your ways,” which functions as the object of the negated perfect ḥāpāṣənû {חָפָצְנוּ | ḥāpāṣənû}, preserving Hebrew word order to underscore settled unwillingness. |