| 12. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with vayomer {וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | váyyōmer} ‘and he said’, a vav-consecutive Qal imperfect linking this question to the prior narrative. The adverb atah {עַתָּה | ʿattâ} ‘now’ introduces immediacy. The jussive imperfect yavo {יָבֹא | yāḇōʾ} ‘may come’ frames divareikha {דְבָרֶיךָ | dəvarêḵā} ‘your words’ in a subordinate temporal clause. The interrogation mah {מַה | māh} ‘what’ governs a parallel construct of mishpat-hanaar {מִשְׁפַּט-הַנַּעַר | mišpāṭ-hannāʿar} ‘rule of the boy’ and ūmaʿsêhû {וּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ | ūmaʿsêhû} ‘and his work’. This bicameral question balances legal provision and vocational mandate, reflected in the sequential inquiry in English. |