| 19. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive perfect vehayah {וְהָיָ֞ה | wə-ḥā-yā(h)} ‘and it shall be,’ introducing a legal protasis. The prepositional phrase bimekom hashchin {בִּמְקוֹם הַשְּׁחִין | bi-me-qôm ha-šə-ḥîn} ‘in the place of the boil’ specifies the afflicted site. The parallel noun phrases se’et levanah {שְׂאֵת לְבָנָה | śə-ʾêṯ lə-wā-nā(h)} ‘white swelling’ and baheret levanah adamdamet {בַהֶרֶת לְבָנָה אֲדַמְדָּמֶת | ba-hə-reṯ lə-wā-nā(h) ʾă-dam-dā-meṯ} ‘white spot with reddish tint’ employ merismatic parallelism to define two diagnostic signs. The vav-consecutive perfect Nifal venir’ah {וְנִרְאָה | wə-nir-ʾāh} ‘and is seen’ serves as the apodosis, indicating presentation before the priest. The maqqef in el-ha-kohen {אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן | ʾel-ha-kō-ḥên} underscores the close tie between the verb and its indirect object. This syntax preserves the ritual sequence and prescribes the inspection protocol. |