| 27. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with lo {לֹא | lōʾ} ‘not’, introducing two parallel prohibitions joined by ve-lo {וְלֹא | wə-lōʾ} ‘and not’. The first uses the Piel imperfect verb takkifu {תַקִּפוּ | ṭaqqîp̄ū} (‘you shall round’) in second person masculine plural, predicated on the construct phrase pe'at roshechem {פְּאַת רֹאשְׁכֶם | peʾaṯ rōʾšəḵem} (‘corner of your head’). The second employs the Hiphil imperfect tashchit {תַשְׁחִית | ṯašḥîṯ} (‘you shall destroy’) in second person masculine singular, marking individual responsibility, with the direct object marker et {אֵת | ʾēṯ} before pe'at zeqanekha {פְּאַת זְקָנֶךָ | peʾaṯ zəqānēḵā} (‘corner of your beard’). The mirrored construct chains emphasize hair margins as identity markers. This structure is rendered in English by preserving normative verbs and genitive relationships. |