| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive in vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | way-yō-mer}, marking a divine utterance by Yahweh {יְהוָה | Yə-hō-wāh}. The imperative aseh lekha {עֲשֵׂה לְךָ | ʿă-sêh lə-ḵā} provides Mosheh {מֹשֶׁה | mō-šēh} with a personal command. The noun saraf {שָׂרָף | sā-rāp̄} designates the venomous creature, and vesim oto al-nes {וְשִׂם אֹתוֹ עַל־נֵס | wə-sîm ʾō-tô ʿal nēs} places it on a raised standard for visible display. The protasis–apodosis structure in vehayah kol hanashukh vera’ah oto vachai {וְהָיָה כָּל-הַנָּשׁוּךְ וְרָאָה אֹתוֹ וָחָי | wə-hā-yāh ḵōl han-nā-šūḵ wə-rā-ʾāh ʾō-tô wā-ḥāy} uses a Qal passive participle and perfect verbs to convey life through the act of looking. The English rendering preserves Hebrew word order and the pivotal divine initiative in granting life. |