| 3. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with the vav consecutive verb vayyiškav {וַיִּשְׁכַּב | wayyiškav} ‘and he lay down,’ indicating continuation. The temporal phrase ʿad-khaṣṣî ha-laylāh {עַד־חֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה | ʿad-ḥaṣṣî ha-laylāh} denotes “midnight.” The construct be-daltōṯ ša‘ar-hā’îr {בְּדַלְת֤וֹת שַׁעַר־הָעִיר | be-daltōṯ ša‘ar-hā’îr} “doors of the city gate” precisely names the elements removed, while the dual û-vištey hammezûzôt {וּבִשְׁתֵּ֣י הַמְּזוּז֔וֹת | û-vištey hammezûzôt} “in two doorposts,” plus the prepositional phrase ʿim-habbərîaḥ {עִֽם־הַבְּרִ֔יחַ | ʿim-habbərîaḥ} “with the bolt,” complete the object. The verbs wayyīsā’em {וַיִּסָּעֵם֙ | wayyīsā’em} ‘and he carried them,’ wayyāsem {וַיָּשֶׂם | wayyāsem} ‘and he placed them,’ and wayya‘ălêm {וַיַּעֲלֵם֙ | wayya‘ălêm} ‘and he brought them up’ map Piel, Qal, and Hiphil stems respectively. Finally, the directional infinitive ’el-rōš ha-hār ’ăšer ʿal-pənê ḥeḇrôn {אֶל־רֹאשׁ הָהָר אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי חֶבְרוֹן | ’el-rōš ha-hār ’ăšer ʿal-pənê ḥeḇrôn} marks the destination at the mountain summit. |