| 18. Linguistic Exegesis The command begins with dabbēr {דַּבֵּר֙ | dabbēr} as a Piel imperative, establishing a divine instruction. The compound ʾel-bə-nê yiś-rā-ʼêl {אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | ʾel-bə-nê yiś-rā-ʼêl} functions as the recipient phrase. The vav-consecutive wə-ʼā-mar-tā {וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ | wə-ʼā-mar-tā} continues the sequence of divine commands. The temporal clause is introduced by the Qal infinitive construct bə-ḇō-ʾa-ḵĕm {בְּבֹאֲכֶם֙ | bə-ḇō-ʾa-ḵĕm}, “when you enter,” which sets the condition. The destination expression ʾel-hā-ʼā-reṣ {אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ | ʾel-hā-ʼā-reṣ}, “to the land,” is linked by the relative pronoun ʾă-šer {אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾă-šer}, leading to the subject ʼănî {אֲנִ֛י | ʼănî} and the Hiphil participle mĕ-vî {מֵבִ֥יא | mĕ-vî}, “am bringing.” The object marker ʼet-ḵĕm {אֶתְכֶ֖ם | ʼet-ḵĕm} marks “you,” and the adverb šāmmāh {שָֽׁמָּה׃ | šāmmāh} identifies the final location. This Hebrew structure tightly holds subject and verb within the relative clause, mirroring the natural flow of Hebrew instruction in English. |