| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The verb vehayah {וְהָיָ֖ה | wə-hā-yāh} 'and it shall be' is a Qal perfect with vav-consecutive introducing a future prophetic event. The phrase bayom hahu {בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא | ba-yôm ha-hū} 'on that day' establishes an eschatological timeframe. The negative construction lo-yiheyeh or {לֹֽא-יִהְיֶ֣ה א֔וֹר | lō-yih-yeh ʾôr} 'there shall be no light' asserts total absence of illumination. The noun yekarot {יְקָר֖וֹת | yə-qārôṯ} 'precious things' and the nouns yikipaon {יקפאון | yi-qip-pā-ʼôn} 'congealing' and ve-kippaon {וְקִפָּאֽוֹן | wə-qip-pā-ʼôn} 'frost' form a merism for extreme cold, conveying the breakdown of cosmic order. |