| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the direction mitteman {מִתֵּימָ֞ן | mi-tê-man} ‘from the south,’ marking the starting point. It proceeds with the construct chain kol-eretz hakena’ani {כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֗י | kol-ʾe-reṣ ha-kə-na-‘a-nî} ‘all the land of the Canaanite,’ indicating total possession. The conjunction u-me’arah {וּמְעָרָ֛ה | u-mə-‘ā-rāh} ‘and the cave’ introduces a place-name Mearah which is linked by the relative clause asher {אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ’ă-šer} ‘which’ to la-tsidonim {לַצִּידֹנִ֖ים | la-ṣî-dō-nîm} ‘to the Sidonians,’ specifying association. The successive prepositional phrases ad-aphekah {עַד־אֲפֵ֑קָה | ’ad-’ă-pê-qāh} ‘as far as Aphek’ and ad {עַ֖ד | ’ad} ‘as far as’ set the boundary limits, concluding with gevul ha’emori {גְּב֥וּל הָאֱמֹרִֽי | gə-vûl hā-’ĕ-mō-rî} ‘border of the Amorite.’ This linear territorial schema reflects directional structure common in ancient boundary descriptions. |