| 26. Linguistic Exegesis Vayedabber {וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר | wayyəḏabber} ‘and he spoke’ introduces direct speech after a vav-consecutive imperfect, a standard narrative device. Lemor {לֵאמֹ֗ר | lêʾêmôr} ‘saying’ marks the launch of the quotation. The imperative suru na {ס֣וּרוּ נָ֡א | sûrû nā} ‘turn aside please’ combines command and entreaty for urgent appeal. Me‘al ohaley {מֵעַל אָהֳלֵ֨י | mēʿal ʾōhōlê} ‘from upon tents of’ establishes spatial separation. The appositive ha’anashim hareshaim ha’eleh {הָאֲנָשִׁים הָֽרְשָׁעִים הָאֵ֔לֶּה | hāʾănāšîm hārəšāʿîm hāʾêlleh} ‘these men, the wicked ones’ heightens moral reproach. The jussive ve‘al tiggu {וְאַל־תִּגְּע֖וּ | wəʾāl tiġġāʿû} ‘and do not touch’ is limited by bekol asher lahem {בְּכָל־אֲשֶׁר לָהֶ֑ם | bəḵōl ʾăšer lāhem} ‘with anything that belongs to them.’ The warning pen tissafu bekol chatotam {פֶּן־תִּסָּפ֖וּ בְּכָל־חַטֹּאתָֽם | pen ṯīsāp̄û bəḵōl ḥaṭṭōṯātem} ‘lest you be swept away because of all their sins’ uses a negative-purpose particle plus Niphal imperfect to convey potential judgment. |