| 24. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the additive conjunction vegam {וְגַם | wə-gam} ‘and also’, indicating continued corruption. The noun kadesh {קָדֵ֖שׁ | qā-ḏēš} ‘male cult prostitute’ appears in the absolute singular but functions collectively, highlighting institutionalized temple sex rites. The existential verb hayah {הָיָ֣ה | hā-yāh} ‘there was’ together with the locative phrase ba’aretz {בָאָ֑רֶץ | bā-ʾā-reṣ} ‘in the land’ establishes the setting. The verb asu {עָשׂ֗וּ | ʿā-śû} ‘they did’ takes the prepositional phrase kekhol ha-toavot {כְּכֹל הַתּוֹעֲבֹ֣ת | kᵊ-kōl hattô-ʿā-ḇōṯ} ‘according to all the abominations’ as its object, emphasizing Israel’s imitation of foreign cultic practices. The relative pronoun asher {אֲשֶׁר֙ | ʾă-šer} ‘which’ introduces a restrictive clause with the Hiphil perfect horish {הוֹרִ֣ישׁ | hôrîš} ‘had driven out’, with the proper noun Yahweh {יְהוָ֔ה | Yᵉ-hō-wāh} as agent. The prepositional phrase mipnei bnei Yisrael {מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל | mippə-nê bᵊ-nê Yîs-rā-ʾēl} ‘from before the sons of Israel’ underscores the covenantal context. The sequence of perfect verbs followed by a relative clause contrasts prior divine judgment with Israel’s subsequent apostasy. |