| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with the vav-consecutive imperfect vayigshu {וַיִּגְּשׁ֨וּ | wăy·yiqqəšû} ‘and they approached,’ establishing past action. The construct chain bnei-Yehudah {בְנֵי־יְהוּדָ֤ה | bə-nē yə-hû-dâ} highlights tribal identity. The prepositional phrase el-Yehoshua bagilgal {אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּגִּלְגָּל} situates the encounter at Gilgal. Direct speech begins with vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר} marking Caleb’s address to Joshua. The perfect form yadatta {יָדַעְתָּ} conveys enduring knowledge of a past revelation. The relative clause introduced by asher {אֲשֶׁר} embeds the LORD’s speech to Moses. The title ish-haElohim {אִישׁ-הָאֱלֹהִים | ʾîš-ha-ʾĕ-lō·hîm} denotes Moses’s prophetic authority. The paired pronouns in al-odotai ve-al-odoteikha underscore the promise’s personal relevance. Finally, Kadesh Barnea marks the geographic origin of the divine word. |