| 11. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the causal conjunction ki {כִּי | kî} introducing an equative clause that the nefesh {נֶפֶשׁ | ne·p̄eš} ‘life’ of the basar {בָּשָׂר | ba·sar} ‘flesh’ resides in the dam {דָּם | dām} ‘blood’, marked by the copular hi {הִוא | hîʾ} ‘it is’. The conjunction va-ani {וַאֲנִי | wa·ʾa·nî} resumes the statement with the divine subject performing netativ {נְתַתִּיו | nə·ṯat·tî·yw} ‘I have given it’, highlighting divine initiative. The locative phrase al-ha-mizbeach {עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ | ʿal-ham·miz·bē·aḥ} sets the ritual scene, and the Piel infinitive le-chaper {לְכַפֵּר | lə·kap·pēr} indicates the purpose of atonement. The beneficiary expression al-nafshoteykhem {עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם | ʿal-nap·šō·ṯê·yḵem} specifies whose lives are covered. A second clause introduced by ki-ha-dam {כִּי־הַדָּם | kî-had·dām} states that hu {הוּא | hūʾ} ‘it is’ the dam ‘blood’ which yekhaper {יְכַפֵּר | yə·kha·p̄ēr} ‘atones’ ba-nefesh {בַּנֶּפֶשׁ | ba·ne·p̄eš} ‘through life’. This chiastic structure of life and blood underscores the inseparable link between life and atonement in Israel’s cultic system. |