| 38. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with adakhtsem {אֲדַחְצֵם | ʾă-dă-ḥā-ṣé-m} ‘I have crushed them’, a Hiphil perfect that conveys completed, decisive action. The conjunction velo {וְלֹא | wə-lōʾ} ‘and not’ negates yakhlu {יָכְלוּ | yā-kh-lû} ‘they were able’, with ’od {עוֹד | ʿōḏ} ‘still’ emphasizing irreversible inability. The infinitive absolute kum {ק֣וּם | qûm} ‘rise’ intensifies the negation, followed by yenaflu {יְנָפְלוּ | yə-nā-p̄-lû} ‘they have fallen’ stating the result. The prepositional phrase tachat raglay {תַּ֝חַת רַגְלָֽי | ta-ḥat ra-ḡlāy} ‘under my foot’ depicts subjugation. This sequence of perfects and infinitive absolute underscores total defeat and dominance. |