| 25. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav-consecutive vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōʾmer} linking to the prior narrative. A prepositional address el-bilam {אֶל־בִּלְעָם | ʾel bilʿām} introduces Balaam. A paratactic prohibition employs infinitive absolutes qov {קֹב | qōb} and barekh {בָּרֵךְ | bāreḵ} for emphasis, each reinforced by an imperfect verb tiqqōvenû {תִקֳּבֶנּוּ | tiqqōvenû} and tebārăḵenû {תְבָרֲכֶֽנּוּ | tebārăḵenû}. The adverb gam {גַּם־ | gam} intensifies each command, while lo {לֹא | lōʾ} marks negation, resulting in a balanced parallelism that heightens the absolute ban. |