| 10. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with vayakhelu {וַיַּקְהִ֜לוּ | wayyāqhilû} ‘and they assembled’, employing the Hiphil stem with vav consecutive to frame the initial action by Moses and Aaron. The direct object marker et {אֶת־ | ʾet} introduces the definite noun ha-qahal {הַקָּהָ֖ל | hakkāhāl} ‘the congregation’ as the object of assembly. The locative phrase el-penei {אֶל־פְּנֵ֣י | ʾel-pə·nê} ‘to the face of’ followed by ha-sela {הַסָּ֑לַע | hassālaʿ} ‘the rock’ locates the people in direct proximity to a natural feature. With vayomer {וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | wayyōmer} ‘and he said’, the narrative transitions to direct speech, signaled by the imperative shim’u-na {שִׁמְעוּ־נָא֙ | šimʿū-nāʾ} ‘hear now’, combining a command with entreaty. The noun ha-morim {הַמֹּרִ֔ים | hammōrîm} ‘the rebels’ functions as a character designation, conveying defiance. The interrogative ha-min-ha-sela {הֲמִן־הַסֶּ֣לַע | hămin-hassēlaʿ} ‘is it from this rock’ embeds the demonstrative ha-zeh {הַזֶּ֔ה | hazzeh}, forming a rhetorical question expressing incredulity. The Hiphil imperfect notzi {נוֹצִ֥יא | nōṣîʾ} ‘shall we bring forth’ portrays a causative action, while lakhem {לָכֶ֖ם | lāḵem} ‘for you’ marks the beneficiary. The clause concludes with mayim {מָֽיִם | māyim} ‘water’, the essential element sought. |