| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the narrative vav-consecutive in vayomer {וַיֹּ֥אמֶר | vayyōmer} ‘and-he-said’, shifting directly into speech. The compound prepositional address ʾel-qōraḥ {אֶל־קֹ֑רַח | ʾel-qōraḥ} ‘to-Korah’ identifies the addressee. This is followed by the Qal imperative plus entreaty particle in šimʿû-nā {שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֖א | šimʿû-nā} ‘listen-please’, intensifying the summons. The vocative bə-nê lê-vî {בְּנֵ֥י לֵוִֽי | bə-nê lê-vî} ‘sons-of-Levi’ specifies the Levitical group called to present themselves. |