| 12. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the demonstrative vezot {וְזֹאת | və-zōṯ} ‘and this,’ which functions as a discourse marker introducing an impending judgment. The imperfect verb tihyeh {תִּהְיֶה | tih-yeh} ‘it will be’ expresses certainty about future divine action. The definite noun hamaggefah {הַמַּגֵּפָה | ham-mag-gē-pāh} ‘the plague’ specifies the type of judgment. The relative clause asher yig-gōf Yahweh {אֲשֶׁר יִגֹּף יְהוָה | ašer yig-gōf Yə-hō-wāh} ‘which the LORD will strike’ places the divine name as subject of a Qal imperfect verb. The collective etkolhaamim {אֶת־כָּל־הָעַמִּים | ʾet-kol-hā-ʿam-mîm} serves as the direct object representing all hostile peoples. The perfect tsavu {צָבְא֖וּ | ṣā-və-ʾû} ‘have assembled’ conveys completed hostile preparation, and the Hiphil participle hameq {הָמֵ֣ק | hā-mēq} ‘causing to waste away’ introduces a theme of supernatural decay. This theme is echoed by the Piel imperfect verbs timmaqnah {תִּמַּ֣קְנָה | tim-maq-nāh} and timmaq {תִּמַּ֥ק | tim-maq}, which describe progressive rotting of flesh (besaro {בְּשָׂר֗וֹ | bə-śā-rō}), eyes (veyeinav {וְעֵינָיו֙ | wə-ʿê-nāw}), and tongue (uleshono {וּלְשׁוֹנ֖וֹ | u-lə-šō-nō}) in their respective sockets (bechoreihen {בְחֹרֵיהֶן | bə-ḥō-rê-hen}) and mouths (bepihehem {בְּפִיהֶם | bə-pî-hem}). |