| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the construct chain divrei {דִּבְרֵי | dîbrê} ‘words of’ modifying the participial noun nirgan {נִרְגָּן | nir-gān} ‘whisperer.’ The simile kemitlahamim {כְּמִתְלַהֲמִים | kə-mit-lahă-mîm} ‘like dainty morsels’ uses preposition kə with a Hitpael participle to evoke vivid consumption imagery. The conjunction vehem {וְהֵם | wə-hēm} introduces the second clause, where the Qal perfect yardu {יָרְדּוּ | yār·ḏû} ‘go down’ expresses complete downward motion. The compound chadrei-baten {חַדְרֵי־בָּטֶן | ḥăd·rê bā·ṯen} ‘chambers of the belly’ combines a plural construct with a singular absolute to denote the innermost recesses. The English translation mirrors the Hebrew simile and construct syntax by preserving the parallel structure and idiomatic imagery. |