| 35. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the restrictive adverb raq {רַק | raq} ‘only; however’, which limits the narrative scope. The clause ha-bamot lo saru {הַבָּמוֹת לֹא סָרוּ | ha-bāmōt lō sārû} ‘the high places were not removed’ uses the perfect to describe a resultant state. The temporal adverb od {ע֗וֹד | ʿōd} ‘still’ intensifies continuity. A participial circumstantial clause ha-am mezabbechim u-me-katterim ba-bamot {הָעָם מְזַבְּחִים וּמְקַטְּרִים בַּבָּמוֹת | hā-ʿām məzabbēḥîm ūməqāṭṭērîm bā-bāmōt} ‘the people sacrificing and burning incense on the high places’ conveys habitual worship. The pronoun hu {ה֗וּא | hūʾ} and perfect verb banah {בָּנָה | bānāh} then introduce Jotham’s constructive act. The direct object marker et {אֶת־ | ʾet} introduces the construct chain sha-ar beit-Yahweh ha-elyon {שַׁעַר בֵּית־יְהוָה הָעֶלְיוֹן | šāʿar bêṯ-Yahweh hā-ʿēlîyōn} ‘gate of the upper house of the LORD’, illustrating Hebrew parataxis. The adjective ha-elyon denotes the gate’s preeminent position, contrasting illicit worship with royal reform. |