| 17. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the narrative vav-consecutive vayomer {וַיֹּ֕אמֶר | wayyōmer} ‘and he said’, introducing direct speech. The question employs the interrogative mah {מָ֚ה | māh} and the demonstrative phrase hatziyun halaz {הַצִיּ֣וּן הַלָּ֔ז | haṣiyyûn halāz} ‘this monument’, followed by the relative clause asher ani roeh {אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲנִ֣י רֹאֶ֑ה | ʾăšer ʾănî rōʾēh} ‘that I see’. The reply under vayomru {וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ | wayyōmerû} ‘and they said’ identifies the site with anshei ha-ir {אַנְשֵׁ֣י הָעִ֗יר | ʾănšê hāʿîr} ‘men of the city’ pointing to ha-kever {הַקֶּ֤בֶר | hāqēver} ‘the grave’, then introduces the prophetic figure ish-ha-Elohim {אִישׁ־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ | ʾîš-hāʾĕlōhîm} ‘man of God’, and the provenance clause asher-ba mi-Yehudah {אֲשֶׁר-בָּ֣א מִֽיהוּדָ֔ה | ʾăšer-bāʾ miyyūdāh} ‘who came from Judah’. The verb vayikra {וַיִּקְרָ֗א | wayyiqrāʾ} ‘and he proclaimed’ governs et-hadevarim ha-eleh {אֶת-הַדְּבָרִ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ | ʾet-haddeḇārîm hāʾēlleh} ‘these words’, with the subordinate asher asita {אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֔יתָ | ʾăšer ʿāśîṯā} ‘that you have done’. The final prepositional phrase al ha-mizbeach beit-El {עַ֖ל הַמִּזְבַּ֥ח בֵּֽית-אֵֽל | ʿal hammizbēaḥ bēṯʾēl} ‘against the altar at Bethel’ completes the construction. The interplay of question and answer frames the prophetic declaration. |