| 10. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the noun phrase vaha-saʿir {וְהַשָּׂעִ֗יר | wə-ha-saʿîr} ‘and the goat,’ followed by the relative clause marker asher {אֲשֶׁר | ʾă-šer} ‘which.’ The Hophal imperfect yā‘ōmad-ḥay {יָֽעֳמַד־חַ֛י | yā-ʿō-mad-ḥay} ‘shall be caused to stand alive’ adds passive-causative force. The phrase lifnei Yahweh {לִפְנֵי יְהוָ֖ה | li-p̄-nê Yə-hō-wāh} ‘before the LORD’ indicates the locus of presentation. Two purpose clauses follow: lə-kappēr {לְכַפֵּר | lə-kap-pēr} ‘to make atonement’ and lə-šallēaḥ {לְשַׁלַּח | lə-šal-lē-aḥ} ‘to send.’ The latter links to la-ʿăzāʿēl {לַעֲזָאזֵ֖ל | la-ʿă-zā-ʿēl} ‘to Azazel’ and ha-midbarāh {הַמִּדְבָּֽרָה | ha-mid-ba-rāh} ‘into the wilderness.’ The Hebrew VSO order is rendered in English SVO, and the dual infinitive purposes highlight the scapegoat’s role in atonement followed by ritual exile. |