| 49. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with vehayah {וְהָיָה | wə-hā-yāh} ‘and it will be’, marking a conditional statement. The noun hannega {הַנֶּגַע | han-nə-ˈgaʿ} ‘the infected spot’ is modified by yerakrak {יְרַקְרַק | ye-rak-ˈrak} ‘greenish’ and adamdam {אֲדַמְדָּם | ʾă-dam-ˈdam} ‘reddish’. A sequence of prepositional phrases—babeged {בַּבֶּגֶד | ba-bə-ˈged}, baor {בָעוֹר | bā-ʿôr}, basheti {בַשְּׁתִי | ba-šə-ˈtî}, baerev {בָעֵרֶב | ba-ʿe-ˈrev}, vechol keli-or {בְכָל־כְּלִי־עוֹר | bə-ḵōl ke-lî-ʿôr}—specify materials where discoloration appears. The construct nega tsaraat {נֶגַע צָרַעַת | ne-ˈgaʿ ṣā-rā-ˈʿat} ‘a spot of leprosy’ functions diagnostically, followed by hu {הוּא | hūʾ} ‘it is’. The Hifil vehareah {וְהָרְאָה | wə-hā-rə-ʾāh} ‘and he shall show’ introduces the ritual requirement with et hakohen {אֶת־הַכֹּהֵן | ʾet ha-kō-ˈhên} ‘to the priest’. The series of vav-consecutive verbs organizes the progression from condition to command. |