| 37. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer} ‘and he said’, marking Balak’s direct address. The interrogative halo {הֲלֹא | halōʾ} ‘is it not?’ frames a rhetorical question, followed by the infinitive absolute shalach {שָׁלֹחַ | šālōaḥ} plus perfect šālaḥtî {שָׁלַחְתִּי | šālaḥtî}, an emphatic construction intensifying his sending. The question lamāh lō-hālaḵtā ʾēlāy ‘why did you not come to me?’ uses a direct interrogative. The rare particle haʾummān {הַאֻמְנָ֔ם | haʾummān} ‘truly’ underscores surprise, and the negative interrogative lo ʾūḵal kabdĕḵā ‘am I not able to honor you?’ highlights the expectation of reward. |