| 34. Linguistic Exegesis The Hebrew verse begins with melammed {מְלַמֵּד | mə-lam-mēḏ} ‘teaches’ as a participle showing ongoing divine instruction toward my hands (yadai {יָדַי | yā-ḏai} ‘my hands’) with la-milchamah {לַמִּלְחָמָה | la-mi-lḥā-māh} ‘for war’ indicating purpose. The conjunction ve-nichat {וְנִחַת | wə-ni-ḥaṯ} ‘and is bent’ (Niphal perfect) links that instruction to its effect on the keshet nechushah {קֶשֶׁת־נְחוּשָׁה | qe-šeṯ nə-ḥū-šāh} ‘bronze bow.’ The construct zero'otai {זְרוֹעֹתָי | zə-rō-ʿō-ṯai} ‘my arms,’ marked by a possessive suffix, underscores personal empowerment. The parallel structure between teaching and bow bending highlights cause and effect, and the passive-perfect form conveys divine agency while preserving Hebrew sequence and metaphorical force. |