| 15. Linguistic Exegesis The Hebrew conditional-consequence structure opens with the vav-consecutive verb vehematta {וְהֵמַתָּ֛ה | wə-hē-māṭ-ṭāh} ‘and you put to death,’ combining the vav-conversive prefixed to a Hiphil perfect to convey divine causation. The direct object marker et {אֶת־ | ʾeṯ-} marks ha’am {הָעָ֥ם | hā-‘ām} ‘the people,’ specified by the demonstrative hazzeh {הַזֶּ֖ה | ha-zzeh} ‘this.’ The simile ke’ish echad {כְּאִ֣ישׁ אֶחָד | kə-’îš ’eḥāḏ} ‘as one man’ emphasizes totality. The second clause begins with ve’omru {וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ | wə-’ā-mrū} ‘and they will say,’ assigning hagoyim {הַגּוֹיִ֔ם | ha-gôy·yim} ‘the nations’ as subject. The relative asher {אֲשֶׁר־ | ’ă-šer-} ‘who’ introduces the clause containing sham’u {שָׁמְעוּ | šā-mə‘ū} ‘have heard’ your report, shim’akha {שִׁמְעֲךָ֖ | šim·‘ă-khā} ‘your report,’ leading to the infinitive construct leimor {לֵאמֹֽר | lê-’ā-mōr} ‘saying,’ which introduces direct speech. The structure highlights divine action followed by human reaction, underscoring the theological weight of total destruction observed by foreign nations. |