| 16. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive verb vayedabber {וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר | vǎy·yə·ḏǎb·bêr} ‘and he spoke’, marking a past narrative action linked to the preceding laws. The divine name Yahweh {יְהוָ֖ה | Yə·hō·wāh} serves as the speaker, and the preposition el {אֶל־ | ʾel} governs Mosheh {מֹשֶׁ֥ה | mō·šê} as the addressee. The infinitive construct leʾemor {לֵּאמֹֽר | lē·ʾā·môr} functions as a formulaic introduction to direct speech. Preserving the vav-consecutive and introductory infinitive in English maintains the formal sequence of divine address. |