| 7. Linguistic Exegesis The verse employs synonymous parallelism with intensification, portraying complete social rejection followed by fruitless pursuit. The construct akheirash {אֲחֵי־רָשׁ | ʾă-ḥê-rāš} functions as a possessive expression. The Piel perfect sneuhu {שְֽׂנֵאֻהוּ | sə-nê-ʾû-hû} marks the initial action of hatred. The adversative af kî {אַף כִּי | ʾāp̄ kî} introduces heightened abandonment. The Piel participle mereehu {מְרֵעֵהוּ | mər-ê-ʾê-hû} and the Qal perfect rachaku mimmenu {רָחֲקוּ מִמֶּנּוּ | rā-ḥă-qû mim-me-nû} form a syntactic pair emphasizing departure. A chiastic structure frames meraddef {מְרַדֵּ֖ף | mər-addēp} ‘pursuing’ around amarim {אֲמָרִים | ʾă-mā-rîm} ‘words.’ The compound negative lolohemah {לֹא־לוֹ־הֵֽמָּה׃ | lō-lô-hēm-māh} underscores utter absence. |