| 32. Linguistic Exegesis The verse consists of two parallel comparative clauses. The adjective tov {ט֤וֹב | ṭôḇ} ‘good’ introduces what exceeds in value, followed by the phrase erekh appayim {אֶ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם | ʾĕ-rĕḵ ʾap-pá-yim} ‘slow to anger’ as the first subject. The comparative preposition mî {מִן | mî} appears in mîgibbôr {מִגִּבּ֑וֹר | mî-ɡibbôr} ‘than a mighty warrior’. The conjunction w- {וּ | wə} introduces the second parallel in wəmōšēl bərûḥō {וּמֹשֵׁ֥ל בְּרוּחוֹ | û-mō-šēl bə-rû-ḥō} ‘and one who rules his spirit’, again followed by mî-lōkēd ʿîr {מִלֹּכֵ֥ד עִֽיר | mî-lō-kêḏ ʿîr} ‘than one who captures a city’. This chiastic structure highlights internal self-mastery over external conquest. The rendering employs English comparatives (‘better than’) to maintain the Hebrew contrast. |