| 27. Linguistic Exegesis The Hebrew phrase begins with darkhei {דַּרְכֵ֣י | dārḵê} ‘ways’ in a construct relationship with she’ol {שְׁא֣וֹל | šəʾôl} ‘Sheol’, indicating paths leading into the realm of the dead. The term beitah {בֵּיתָ֑הּ | bêtāh} ‘her house’ uses a feminine singular construct with a pronominal suffix to denote ownership by a feminine subject. The participle yordot {יֹ֝רְד֗וֹת | yōrḏōṯ} ‘descending’ (Qal participle feminine plural) agrees with darkhei and conveys continuous motion. The preposition el {אֶל־ | ʾel} ‘to’ marks direction, followed by the construct chain chadrei {חַדְרֵי־ | ḥădrê} ‘chambers’ with the absolute noun mavet {מָֽוֶת | māwṯ} ‘death’, describing hidden, fatal recesses. The syntax frames the woman’s house as the origin of an inevitable descent into hidden chambers of death. |