interruption of or closure of thought and adding divine authority (cf Jer 23:23). This phrase separates the prior argument and the restatement and expounding of Yahweh’s thesis that follows. BHS critical apparatus note 2a–a suggests deleting the phrase because it interrupts the metrical flow of the text (BHS, 1081), however, this omission would detract from the authoritative nature this phrase gives to the text. וָאֹהַ֖ב אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹֽב. Qal wayyiqtol 1 c s √אָהַב + sign of dir obj − pr noun. The sentence