| 16. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the imperative leqach {לְֽקַח | lə-qāḥ} ‘take’, establishing a direct command. It then presents two parallel conditions: the first, introduced by ki {כִּי | kî} functioning as a conditional conjunction, is followed by the perfect verb arav {עָ֣רַב | ‘ā-rav} ‘he becomes surety’ for a zar {זָ֑ר | zār} ‘stranger’. The second condition begins with the conjunctive-prepositional phrase u-be‘ad {וּבְעַ֖ד | ū-bə-‘aḏ} ‘and on behalf of’ and involves nokrim {נָכְרִ֣ים | nā-kh-rîm} ‘foreigners’. The final Piel imperative khavlehu {חַבְּלֵֽהוּ | khăv-lê-hû} ‘bind him for a pledge’ completes the legal instruction. The balanced paratactic structure underscores the principle that anyone acting as guarantor for outsiders must provide collateral. The maintenance of the Hebrew clause order preserves the verse’s emphasis on communal protection. |