| 15. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive verb vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | wāyōʾmer} introducing the speech of Yehoshua {יְהוֹשֻׁעַ | Yəhōšūaʿ}. The conditional particle ʾim {אִם | ʾim} establishes the protasis “if you are many,” modified by the noun phrase ʿam rav {עַם־רַב | ʿam rav} “a numerous people.” This is followed by the imperative ʿălêh {עֲלֵה | ʿălêh} “go up” with ləkkā {לְךָ | ləkkā} “for yourselves” directing them to hayyāʿăh {הַיַּעְרָה | hayyāʿăh} “the forest.” The verb ūbērēʾtā {וּבֵרֵאתָ | ūbērēʾtā} “and you shall clear” governs the locative šām {שָׁם | šām} “there” in the land of the happrîzzi {הַפְּרִזִּי | happrîzzi} “Perizzites” and the Rephaim. The second protasis introduced by kî {כִּי | kî} “and if” presents the spatial condition ʾats ləkkā har-ʾeprayyim {אָץ לְךָ הַר־אֶפְרָיִם | ʾats ləkkā har-ʾeprayyim} “the hill-country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.” The structure highlights the conditional necessity for relocation by stating both potential constraints before the command. |