| 26. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the participle yater {יָתֵ֣ר | yā-ṯēr} ‘surpass’, forming a prepositive comparative clause. The construct phrase mere’eihu {מֵרֵעֵ֣הוּ | mē-rē-’â-hû} ‘than his neighbor’ marks the comparison’s reference. The noun tsaddiq {צַדִּ֑יק | ṣad-dîq} functions as the clause subject, identifying one who leads rightly. The prefixed conjunction ve- to de rekh {וְדֶ֖רֶךְ | wə-de-rê-ḵ} ‘and the way’ introduces an adversative bridge. The plural noun resha’im {רְשָׁעִ֣ים | re-shā-’îm} provides the counterexample, and the Hiphil verb tatte’em {תַּתְעֵֽם | taṯ-’ê-êm} ‘cause to stray’ governs a third person plural object suffix, expressing causation. The adversative vav yields the English “but,” contrasting the righteous guide with the wicked’s misleading way. |