| 28. Linguistic Exegesis The clause opens with the coordinated subjects veshor {וְשׁ֖וֹר | wə-šôr} ‘and an ox’ and o se {אוֹ־שֶׂ֑ה | ʼō-śeh} ‘or a sheep’, emphasizing that the prohibition applies equally to both animals. The direct object marker oto {אֹת֣וֹ | ʼōṯô} ‘it’ is immediately followed by veʼet beno {וְאֶת־בְּנ֔וֹ | wə-ʼeṯ bə-nô} ‘and its young’, highlighting the inseparable bond of parent and offspring. The verb tishchatu {תִשְׁחֲט֖וּ | tiš-ḥa-ṯû}, a qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural, functions as a clear prohibition. The temporal prepositional phrase beyom echad {בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָֽד | bə-yôm ʼe-ḥāḏ} ‘in one day’ defines the simultaneous time frame. In English the temporal phrase is delayed to conform to standard syntax, and the dynamic register further chooses “kill” and “baby” to convey immediacy and relational warmth absent in the formal diction. |