| 13. Linguistic Exegesis This verse employs the vav-consecutive imperfect with veavar {וְעָבַר֩ | wə-ʿā-var} ‘and it crossed over’ and veyarad {וְיָרַד | wə-yā-rad} ‘and it descended’ to indicate sequential action. The genitival chain el-ketef luzah {אֶל־כֶּ֤תֶף ל֙וּזָה֙ | ʾel ke-tef lū-zāh} ‘to the slope of Luz’ provides geographic precision, refined by the directional adverb negvah {נֶ֔גְבָּה | ne-gev-bāh} ‘southward.’ The pronoun hi {הִ֖יא | hīʾ} ‘it is’ functions as a copular identification, equating Luz with Bethel in a parenthetical aside. The compound toponym atrotadar {עַטְר֣וֹת אַדָּ֔ר | ʿa-ṯer-ōt ă-dar} ‘Ataroth Addar’ is followed by a relative clause introduced by asher {אֲשֶׁ֛ר | ʾă-sher} ‘which,’ leading into the construct minegev beit-choron tachton {מִנֶּ֥גֶב לְבֵית־חֹר֖וֹן תַּחְתּֽוֹן | min ne-gev lə-bēṯ-ḥō-ron taḥ-tōn} ‘from the south of Beth-horon lower.’ English syntax breaks long Hebrew chains for clarity but preserves the sense of official land demarcation and topographical descent. |