| 12. Linguistic Exegesis The verse employs the reflexive Hithpael stem of yiṯ-ḥaṭ-ṭāʾ-bō {יִתְחַטָּא־ב֞וֹ | yiṯ-ḥaṭ-ṭāʾ-bō} to emphasize the subject’s active role in purification. The particle wə-ʾim-lōʾ {וְאִם־לֹא | wə-ʾim-lōʾ} introduces a protasis marking the negative conditional outcome. The temporal phrases ba-yōm ha-šəlîšî… u-ba-yōm ha-šəvîʿî {בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי…וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי} establish a required sequence of days for ritual efficacy. The repetition of the purification verb and the parallel clause structure underscore the necessity of compliance for achieving yiṯ-hār {יִטְהָר | yiṯ-hār} ‘become clean.’ |