| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The clause opens with raq {רַק | raq} ‘only, nevertheless,’ which marks a limitation or contrast to the preceding evaluation of the king: despite reforms, something remained unchanged. The subject ha-bamot {הַבָּמוֹת | habbāmôṯ} ‘the high places’ precedes the negated perfect lo-saru {לֹא־סָרוּ | lō-sārû} ‘did not turn aside / were not removed,’ a straightforward subject–predicate order that foregrounds the enduring presence of these sites. The adverb od {עוֹד | ʿôḏ} ‘still’ then introduces the continuing behavior of a new subject, ha-am {הָעָם | hā-ʿām} ‘the people.’ Two coordinated Piel participles, mezabbechim {מְזַבְּחִים | məzabbəḥîm} ‘sacrificing’ and u-mekatterim {וּמְקַטְּרִים | ûməqaṭṭərîm} ‘and burning incense,’ portray habitual, ongoing activity rather than a single event. The closing prepositional phrase ba-bamot {בַּבָּמוֹת | babbāmôṯ} ‘on the high places’ repeats the key locale, creating emphasis by returning to the same term and linking the people’s actions directly to those sites. English renders the participles with progressive or habitual phrasing (“were …” / “kept …”) to reflect the durative force implied by od plus participles. |