| 10. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with emphatic repetition of reacha {רֵ֥עֲךָ֨ | reʿaḵâ} ‘your friend’ followed by the duplicated vav-noun phrases verea {ורעה | wə-rēaʿ} and verea {וְרֵ֪עַ | wə-rēaʿ} ‘and friend’, reinforcing loyalty imperatives. The paired prohibitions al-taazov {אַל־תַּעֲזֹב | ʾal-tä-ʿă-zōw} ‘do not forsake’ and al-tavo {אַל־תָּבוֹא | ʾal-tā-bōʾ} ‘do not enter’ employ the negative particle al prefixed to Qal imperfect verbs in parallel structure. The temporal clause beyom {בְּי֣וֹם | bə-yôm} + eidekha {אֵידֶ֑ךָ | ʾê-yḏe-ḵā} defines when the second prohibition applies. The comparative sentence uses tov {ט֥וֹב | ṭôḇ} with the noun-adjective pair shachen karov {שָׁכֵ֥ן קָ֝ר֗וֹב | šā-kên qā-rôv} contrasted with meach rakhok {מֵאָ֥ח רָחֽוֹק | mê-ʾaḥ rā-ḥōq}, highlighting the value of nearby support over distant kin. |