| 12. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with velo {וְלֹא | wə̆·lōʾ} ‘and not’, a negative conjunction marking inability, followed by yachlu {יָכְלוּ | yā·ka·lû} ‘they were able’ in the qal perfect with benei menashe {בְּנֵי מְנַשֶּׁה | bə·nē mə·naš·šé} ‘sons of Manasseh’ as the collective subject. The hiphil infinitive lehorish {לְהוֹרִישׁ | lə·hō·rîš} ‘to dispossess’ introduces the intended action, directly linked to the object et-he’arim {אֶת־הֶעָרִים | ’êṯ·hē·‘ā·rîm} ‘the cities’, with ha’eleh {הָאֵלֶּה | hā·’ê·lleh} ‘these’ specifying which ones. The vav consecutive vayoel {וַיּוֹאֶל | wa·yō·’ēl} ‘and resolved’ shifts focus to the hakena‘ani {הַכְּנַעֲנִי | ha·ka·na·‘a·nî} ‘Canaanite’, where lashevet {לָשֶׁבֶת | lā·še·vet} ‘to dwell’ indicates ongoing residence. Finally, the locative ba’aretz hazot {בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת | bā·’ā·reṣ ha·zō·’ṯ} ‘in this land’ frames the setting. The contrast between perfect and imperfect forms highlights failed dispossession versus continued occupation, while the infinitive constructs and vav consecutive articulate temporal sequence and cause-effect in Hebrew narrative. |