| 18. Linguistic Exegesis The verse consists of two parallel clauses with third person plural subjects. The Piel imperfect yehallequ {יְחַלְּקוּ | yə-ḥal-lə-qū} ‘they divide’ governs the direct object begadai {בְגָדַי | bə-ɡā-ḏai} ‘my garments’. The beneficiary lahem {לָהֶם | lā-hem} ‘for them’ is marked by a prepositional suffix. The conjunction veal {וְעַל־ | wə-ʿal} ‘and upon’ introduces the next object levushi {לְבוּשִׁי | lə-ḇū-ši} ‘my clothing’, which is thrown by the Hiphil imperfect yapilu {יַפִּילוּ | ya-pi-lū} ‘they cast’. The noun goral {גוֹרָל | ḡō-rāl} functions as a lot used for chance determination. This coordinated structure highlights the speaker’s humiliation as his garments are apportioned and then decided by random lot. |