| 22. Linguistic Exegesis The participle holekh {ה֤וֹלֵ֥ךְ | hô-lēḵ} initiates ongoing movement toward folly. Achareha {אַחֲרֶ֗יהָ | ʾa-ḥă-rê-hā} ties the action immediately to “her,” intensifying the sense of pursuit. Pitom {פִּ֫תְאֹ֥ם | pit-ʾôm} functions as an emphatic adverb, marking unexpected progression. The simile keshor el tevach {כְּ֭שׁוֹר אֶל־טֶ֣בַח | ke-šôr ʾel ṭe-vaḥ} with the imperfect yavo {יָב֑וֹא | yā-ḇōʾ} conveys inevitability of destruction. The conjunction vav and uche’ekes {וּ֝כְעֶ֗כֶס | ū-kĕ-ʿe-ḵes} forms a parallel simile of helpless confinement. Finally, el musar {אֶל־מוּסַ֥ר | ʾel-mû-sar} and ewil {אֱוִִֽיל | ʾĕ-wîl} create a chiastic frame, presenting correction as both punitive and instructive. |