| 16. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the disjunctive conjunction o {א֣וֹ | ʾô} ‘or’, establishing an alternative condition, followed by the conditional particle ki {כִ֥י | kî} ‘if/when’, which introduces the protasis marked by the Qal imperfect yashuv {יָשׁ֛וּב | yā-šûv} ‘returns’. The phrase ha-basar ha-chai {הַבָּשָׂ֥ר הַחַ֖י | ha-bā-śār ha-ḥay} ‘the living flesh’ forms an adjectival nominal construction describing unblemished tissue. The vav consecutive Nifal imperfect ve-nehpakh {וְנֶהְפַּ֣ךְ | wə-nəḥ-pákh} ‘and is turned/becomes’ signals passive transformation, with the prepositional phrase le-lavan {לְלָבָ֑ן | lə-lā-vān} ‘to white’ denoting the diagnostic color shift. The vav consecutive Qal perfect u-va {וּבָ֖א | wū-bāʾ} ‘and comes’ introduces the apodosis conveying required action, with el-ha-kohen {אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן | ʾel-há-ḵō-hēn} ‘to the priest’ designating the official examiner. This protasis–apodosis structure exemplifies the legal formulation in Leviticus, linking a physical sign to ritual compliance. |