| 22. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the imperative shema {שְׁמַ֣ע | šə-māʿ} ‘hear,’ setting a tone of direct moral instruction. The prepositional phrase le’avikha {לְ֭אָבִיךָ | lə-’ā-vî-kā} ‘to your father’ establishes the relational obligation. The demonstrative zeh {זֶ֣ה | zeh} ‘this’ foregrounds the father in his paternal role, echoed by the appositional yeladekha {יְלָדֶ֑ךָ | yə-lā-ḏe-kā} ‘who begot you.’ The coordinated negative imperative in ve-altavuz {וְאַל־תָּ֝ב֗וּז | wə-’al-tā-vûz} ‘and do not despise’ contrasts with the first command, and the causal-temporal clause ki-zaqnah {כִּֽי־זָקְנָ֥ה | kî-zaq-nāh} ‘when she has grown old’ explains the reason, together emphasizing enduring filial respect for one’s parents. |