| 5. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav-consecutive imperfect, vayelekh {וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ | wayyeleḵ} ‘and he went’, introducing Solomon’s action. It contains two parallel prepositional phrases: acharei {אַחֲרֵ֣י | ’aḥărê} ‘after’, governing the construct elohei tsidonim {אֱלֹהֵ֖י צִדֹנִ֑ים | ʾĕlōhê ṣīḏōnîm} ‘gods of the Sidonians’; and ve-acharei {וְאַחֲרֵ֣י | wə-’aḥărê} ‘and after’, governing milkom shikkutz ammonim {מִלְכֹּ֔ם שִׁקֻּ֖ץ עַמֹּנִֽים | Milkôm šiqqūṣ ʿammōnîm} ‘Milcom, abomination of the Ammonites’. The construct chains link each deity to its people, while the coordination underscores the cumulative nature of Solomon’s idolatrous pursuits. |