| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The Hebrew verse employs a merism with parallel Niphal participles nivzeh {נִבְזֶ֤ה | nivzeh} ‘despised’ and nimas {נִמְאָ֗ס | nimʾās} ‘rejected’, intensifying moral condemnation. The locative phrase be'einav {בְּֽעֵ֘ינָ֤יו | bəʿênāw} ‘in his eyes’ marks the perspective of divine evaluation. The conjunction wəʾet {וְאֶת־ | wəʾet} introduces the construct chain yirʾē Yəhōwāh {יִרְאֵ֣י יְהוָ֣ה | yirʾē Yəhōwāh} ‘those who fear the LORD’, which functions as the object of the Piel imperfect verb yəḥabbed {יְכַבֵּ֑ד | yəḥabbed} ‘he honors’. The coordinated infinitive clause nišbāʿ ləharāʿ {נִשְׁבַּ֥ע לְ֝הָרַ֗ע | nišbāʿ ləharāʿ} ‘he swears to harm’ paired with the negative clause wəlōʾ yāmîr {וְלֹ֣א יָמִֽר | wəlōʾ yāmîr} ‘and does not turn away’ underscores unwavering covenantal fidelity despite personal detriment. English renditions maintain the parallel structure while adjusting to natural clause order. |