| 42. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the prepositional phrase basukkot {בַּסֻּכֹּ֥ת | bə-sukkōt} ‘in booths,’ which establishes the ritual setting, followed by the Qal imperfect teshvu {תֵּשְׁב֖וּ | te-šə-vû} ‘you will dwell,’ indicating a communal directive. The construct shivat yamim {שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִים | šivʿāṯ yāmîm} ‘seven days’ specifies the duration of the observance. In the second clause, the universal subject kol ha-ezrach {כָּל־הָאֶזְרָח֙ | kol hä-ʾe-zraḥ} ‘all the native-born’ combines with the locative beyisrael {בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | bə-yis-rā-ʾēl} ‘in Israel,’ and repeats the imperfect yeshvu {יֵשְׁב֖וּ | ye-šə-vû} ‘they will dwell’ with the same prepositional phrase, forming parallelism that underscores communal inclusion in the festival. The Hebrew fronting and repetition reinforce the collective nature of Sukkot, which is preserved in English by mirroring the syntax and repeated phrase “dwell in booths.” |