| 26. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the Piel participle מְזָרֶה {מְזָרֶה | mĕ-zā-rēh} ‘scattering,’ which takes the direct object רְשָׁעִים {רְשָׁעִים | rĕ-šā-ʿîm} ‘wicked ones.’ The nominal phrase מֶלֶךְ חָכָם {מֶלֶךְ חָכָם | mĕ-lĕ-ḵ ḥā-kām} functions as a qualitative apposition, with the adjective following the noun for emphasis on wisdom. The vav-consecutive וַיָּשֶׁב {וַיָּשֶׁב | va-ya-šév} in the Hiphil stem introduces a causative action, governing the prepositional phrase עֲלֵיהֶם {עֲלֵיהֶם | ʿă-lê-hem} ‘upon them’ and the instrumental noun אוֹפָן {אוֹפָן | ʾō-fān} ‘wheel.’ This sequence highlights the king’s deliberate exercise of judgment, and English renders it with a subject-initial order for clarity while preserving the Hebrew action sequence. |