| 44. Linguistic Exegesis The adverbial construct leshema {לְשֵׁמַע | lə-šē-maʿ} ‘at hearing’ introduces a temporal clause. The noun ozen {אֹזֶן | ō-zen} ‘ear’ in apposition intensifies immediacy. The Qal imperfect yishmeʿu {יִשְׁמְעוּ | yiš-mə-ʿû} ‘they will hear’ takes the pronominal suffix li {לִי | lī} ‘to me’ marking the object of perception. In parallel, benei nechar {בְּנֵי־נֵכָר | bə-nê-nē-ḵār} ‘sons of foreigners’ serves as subject, and the Piel imperfect yekhachashu-li {יְכַחֲשׁוּ־לִי | yekhaḥăšû-lî} ‘they will feign submission to me’ expresses deceptive compliance. The chiastic linkage of prompt perception and false obedience underscores both responsiveness and deceit. |