| 22. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the conditional particle veim {וְאִם־ | wə-ʾim}, introducing a protasis. The infinitive construct pasoh {פָּשֹׂה | pā-sôh} combined with the Qal imperfect tifseh {תִפְשֶׂה | ṯip-śeh} forms verbal periphrasis indicating ongoing extension. The prepositional phrase ba-or {בָּע֑וֹר | bā-ʿôr} specifies the site of the eruption. The Piel perfect vetimme {וְטִמֵּ֧א | wə-ṯim-mēʾ} assigns authority to ha-kohen {הַכֹּהֵ֛ן | ha-kō-hēn} to pronounce ritual status, with oto {אֹת֖וֹ | ʾō-tô} as direct object. The nominal clause nega hi {נֶגַע הִֽוא | ne-ğaʿ hīʾ} functions appositively to identify the condition. The fronting of the infinitive construct pasoh at the beginning of the clause underscores the persistence of the skin condition, mirrored in the English by “keeps spreading” and the retention of the conditional framework. |