Proverbs 18:3ExegesisTAB

Proverbs 18 : 3 Wickedness | Contempt | Shame
3. Linguistic Exegesis
The verse opens with the infinitive construct bevo {בְּבוֹא | bə-bōʾ} ‘at the coming’, functioning as a temporal protasis. It is followed by the subject rasha {רָשָׁע | rā-šāʿ} ‘wicked’ and the Qal perfect ba {בָּא | bāʾ} ‘comes’, establishing a conditional relationship. The conjunction gam {גַם | gam} ‘also’ links buz {בּוּז | būz} ‘contempt’ as an inseparable attendant. The conjunctive prepositional phrase ve-im {וְעִם | wə-ʿim} ‘and with’ introduces the parallel result kalon {קָלוֹן | qā-lōn} ‘disgrace’, which in turn produces herpa {חֶרְפָּה | ḥer-pā} ‘reproach’. This parallel structure underscores the inevitability and escalation of social dishonor. The English preserves the Hebrew word order and coordinating particles to reflect its causal and rhythmic progression.

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