| 21. Linguistic Exegesis lo {לֹא | lōʾ} ‘not’ introduces two parallel perfect clauses modifying hibbit {הִבִּיט | hiḇbîṭ} ‘he has beheld’ and ra’ah {רָאָה | rāʿâ} ‘he has seen,’ each linked to its object—aven {אָוֶן | ʾāwen} ‘iniquity’ and ʿamal {עָמָל | ʿāmal} ‘hardship’—in Ya‘akov {בְּיַעֲקֹב | bə-yaʿăqōḇ} and in Yisra’ēl {בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | bə-yiśrā’ēl}, creating a chiastic parallelism that underscores Israel’s innocence. The verbless clause Yahweh Elohav {יְהוָה אֱלֹהָיו | Yəhōwāh ʾĕlōhāv} functions as an equational statement realized by ʿimmo {עִמּוֹ | ʿimmō} ‘with him.’ The vav-consecutive u-teru‘at {וּתְרוּעַ֥ת | ū-terûʿāṯ} ‘and shout’ precedes melek {מֶלֶךְ | melek} ‘king’ and bo {בּֽוֹ | bō} ‘in him,’ extending the metaphor of royal triumph. English syntax preserves Hebrew paratactic style and asyndeton to maintain emphasis and cohesion. |