| 12. Linguistic Exegesis The opening ve-attah {וְעַתָּה | wə-ʿa-ṭāh} introduces Joshua’s request with immediacy. The imperative tenah-li {תְּנָה־לִּי | tə-nā-lî} directly addresses the grant of ha-har ha-zeh {הָהָר הַזֶּה | hā-hār ha-zēh} ‘this mountain,’ specified by the relative clause asher dibber Yahweh {אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר יְהוָה}. The temporal frame ba-yom hahu … kî atta-shamta recalls the report of ʿănāqīm {עֲנָקִים | ʿănā-qīm} and their strongholds described by ve-arim gedolot be-tsurot {וְעָרִים גְּדֹלוֹת בְּצֻרוֹת}, underscoring their formidable nature. The modal ulai {אוּלַי | ʾû-lay} conveys uncertainty, leading to the Hiphil perfect ve-horashtim {וְהוֹרַשְׁתִּים | wə-hō-răš-tîm}, ‘I dispossess them,’ which anticipates fulfillment of the divine promise. |