| 17. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the interrogative particle kammah {כַמָּה | kammâh} ‘how often’, introducing a rhetorical question. The construct phrase ner resha‘im {נֵר־רְשָׁעִים | nêr resha‘îm} ‘lamp of the wicked’ functions as a metaphorical subject. The Qal imperfect yidakh {יִדְעָךְ | yid‘āḵ} ‘is put out’ indicates repeated action, with the waw-consecutive ve-yavo {וְיָבֹא | wə-yā-ḇō} plus the preposition aleimo {עָלֵימוֹ | ‘ālê-hēmō} ‘upon them’ continuing the sequence. The noun eydam {אֵידָם | ’êydām} ‘their calamity’ concludes the question. The second clause presents divine action with the noun khavalim {חֲבָלִים | ḥă-ḇā-lîm} ‘destructions’ and the verb yechalleq {יְחַלֵּק | yə-ḥallēq} ‘he allots’, followed by the causal phrase be-apo {בְּאַפּוֹ | bə-’ā-pō} ‘in his anger’. The shift from question to assertion underscores the certainty of divine judgment and links repeated human plight with God’s allocation of suffering. |