| 22. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with va’omrah {וָאֹמְרָ֣ה | vā’ōmərāh} ‘and I said’, where the vav-consecutive prefixed to the Qal imperfect cohortative introduces Nehemiah’s directive. The prepositional phrase la-leviim {לַלְוִיִּ֗ם | la-lə-vî’îm} ‘to the Levites’ addresses the priestly auxiliaries. The relative clause asher yihyu mitaharim uvaim shomrim hashearim {אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְי֤וּ מִֽטַּהֲרִים֙ וּבָאִים֙ שֹׁמְרִ֣ים הַשְּׁעָרִ֔ים | ’ăšer yiḥyû miṭaḥārîm ūvā’îm šomrîm ha-še‘ārîm} ‘who will be purifying themselves and coming to guard the gates’ functions as a circumstantial clause specifying their preparatory ritual and security duty. The Piel infinitive construct lekaddesh {לְקַדֵּ֖שׁ | ləqaḏḏêš} ‘to sanctify’ marks purpose. The paired imperatives gam-zot zakhrah-li {גַּם־זֹאת זָכְרָה־לִּ֣י | gam-zōṯ zāḥrāh-lî} ‘also this, remember for me’ and vekhusa {וְח֥וּסָה | wəḥūsāh} ‘and have compassion’ express parallel petitions. The clause kerov khasdekha {כְּרֹ֥ב חַסְדֶּֽךָ | kə-rōv ḥa-sed-kha} ‘according to the abundance of your mercy’ serves as an adverbial intensifier. English rendering employs relative clauses and infinitive purpose clauses to preserve Hebrew syntax and emphasis. |