| 15. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative uses a vav-consecutive with wayyośep̄ {וַיֹּ֥סֶף | wayyośep̄} ‘and he added’, marking sequential action. The adverb ʿôd {ע֖וֹד | ʿôd} ‘again’ signals repeated effort. The infinitive construct šəlō-ḥa {שְׁלֹ֣חַ | šəlō-ḥa} ‘to send’ governs the object śārîm {שָׂרִים | śārîm} ‘officials’. The paired modifiers rabbîm {רַבִּ֥ים | rabbîm} ‘many’ and wə-nīḵbaḏîm {וְנִכְבָּדִ֖ים | wə-nīḵbaḏîm} ‘and were honored’ intensify the description, linked by the comparative preposition mīn {מִן | mīn} plus mēʾēle {מֵאֵֽלֶּה | mēʾēle} ‘than these’. English reflects this Hebraic pattern with “more numerous and more distinguished” to preserve the rising emphasis. |