| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The account begins with vayhi {וַיְהִי | vayhî} “and it was,” employing the vav-consecutive Qal imperfect to introduce a new narrative scene. The temporal phrase mimmachorat {מִמָּחֳרָת | mimmăḥōrāt} “from the next day” establishes the chronology. In the clause vayyavo Mosheh {וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה | vayyāʾō mōšeh} “and he came, Moses,” the verb-subject order reflects typical Hebrew narrative style. Vehinneh {וְהִנֵּה | wə-hinnēh} “and behold” signals a dramatic revelation. The construct phrase matteh-’Aharôn le-beit Levi {מַטֵּה־אַהֲרֹן לְבֵית לֵוִי | maṭṭeh-’Aharôn lə-ḇēṯ lēvî} “staff of Aaron for the house of Levi” underscores priestly legitimacy. The sequence of growth verbs—parakh {פָּרַח | pāraḥ} “sprouted,” vayyōṣēʾ perakh {וַיּוֹצֵא פֶּרַח | vayyōṣēʾ pēraḥ} “brought forth a bud,” vayyāṣēṣ tsits {וַיָּצֵץ צִיץ | vayyāṣēṣ ṣîṣ} “budded a flower,” and vayyiġmōl sheqedim {וַיִּגְמֹל שְׁקֵדִים | vayyiġmōl šəqēdîm} “yielded almonds”—creates cumulative emphasis on each stage of the miracle. |