| 13. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with the vayehi {וֽ͏ַיְהִ֗י | wə·yĕ·hî} ‘and it was’ formula serving as a temporal anchor. The conjunction ki {כִּ֤י | kî} ‘when’ introduces the temporal clause. The perfect verb chazku {חֽ͏ָזְקוּ֙ | ḥā·zqû} ‘they grew strong’ describes Israel’s rising power and is followed by the vav-consecutive verb vayitnu {וַיִּתְּנ֥וּ | way·yiṯ·nû} ‘and they put’, which takes et {אֶת־ | ʾet} as a direct object marker before the definite noun hakena‘ani {הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י | hak·kən·aʿ·ăn·nî} ‘the Canaanite’, indicating focus on the affected population. The prepositional phrase lamas {לָמַ֑ס | lā·mas} ‘for forced labor’ specifies the status imposed. Finally, the emphatic negation vehoresh lo horisho {וְהוֹרֵ֖שׁ לֹ֥א הוֹרִישֽׁוֹ | wə·hō·rēš lōʾ hō·riš·ô} employs an infinitive absolute plus perfect to underscore that complete dispossession did not occur. The sequence of vav-consecutive verbs, the direct object marker, and the emphatic construction together highlight both the chronological progression and the incomplete fulfillment of the conquest. |