| 37. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive Qal perfect ushmartem {וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם | ûš-mar-tem} ‘and you shall keep,’ establishing a collective imperative. The compound et-kol {אֶת־כָּל | ʾeṯ-kāl} ‘all’ frames both chukotai {חֻקֹּתַי | ḥuq-qō-tāy} ‘statutes’ and mishpatai {מִשְׁפָּטַי | miš-pā-ṭāy} ‘ordinances’ as direct objects. A second vav-consecutive perfect, va’asitem {וַעֲשִׂיתֶם | wa-ʿă-šî-tem} ‘and you shall do,’ transitions from obligation to enactment, reinforced by the resumptive pronoun otam {אֹתָם | ʾō-ṯām} ‘them.’ The closing formula ani {אֲנִי | ʾă-nî} ‘I’ + Yahweh {יְהוָה | Yə-hō-wāh} “am the LORD” asserts divine self-identification and authority, grounding these commands in covenantal decree. |