| 14. Linguistic Exegesis The bound clause lo-teqallel {לֹא־תְקַלֵּ֣ל | lō-tə-qal-lel} ‘you shall not curse’ employs the negative particle lo with a Piel verb to express a forceful prohibition. The vav-prefixed phrase ve-lifnei {וְלִפְנֵ֣י | wə-lîp̄-nê} ‘and before’ links two parallel offenses in merism: verbal harm against the deaf and physical hindrance in lo-titten {לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן | lō tit-tên} ‘you shall not place’ a stumbling block. The alternation between Piel (intensified action) and Qal (simple action) stems underscores the seriousness of both curses and entrapment. The sequence culminates in ve-yareta {וְיָרֵ֥אתָ | wə-yā-rē-ṭā} ‘and you shall fear’, using a perfect tense to indicate a settled ethical stance, which is then anchored by the inclusio ani Yahweh {אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה | ʾănî Yəhōwāh} ‘I am the LORD’, framing the command within divine authority and reinforcing covenantal accountability. |