| 25. Linguistic Exegesis The verse employs the vav-consecutive form in vera'ah {וְרָאָ֣ה | wə-rā-’āh} ‘and he shall see’, which introduces the examining authority, the priest {hakohen | ha-kō-hên}. The particle vehinnēh {וְהִנֵּ֣ה | wə-hin-nêh} ‘and behold’ shifts focus to the diagnostic signs. The Niphal perfect nehpakh {נֶהְפַּךְ֩ | neh-paḵ} ‘is turned’ describes a passive change of the se'ar {שֵׂעָ֨ר | sē-‘ār}, now lavan {לָבָ֜ן | lā-ḇān} ‘white’ in babbaheret {בַּבַּהֶ֗רֶת | ba-bha-réṯ}. The comparative phrase amok min-haor {עָמֹ֣ק מִן־הָע֔וֹר | ‘ā-mōq min-hā-‘ôr} ‘deeper than the skin’ indicates lesion severity. The nominal clause tsara'at hi {צָרַעַת הִ֔וא | ṣā-rā‘-ṯ hī} ‘it is leprosy’ renders the diagnosis, while bammikweh {בַּמִּכְוָ֖ה | ba-mik-kwāh} ‘in the burn’ and parachah {פָּרָ֑חָה | pā-rā-ḥāh} ‘it has broken out’ specify context. The Piel perfect vetimme {וְטִמֵּ֤א | wə-tim-mê’} ‘and he shall pronounce unclean’ finalizes the priestly legal determination. This sequence preserves the diagnostic and juridical structure of the Hebrew. |