| 16. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav-consecutive ve’et kol shelalah {וְאֶת־כָּל־שְׁלָלָהּ | wə-ʾeṯ kôl šĕ-lā-lāh} linking the imperatives. The Qal imperfect tikbotz {תִּקְבֹּץ | tiq-bō-ṣ} issues the command to gather. The phrase el tokh rechovah {אֶל־תּוֹךְ רְחֹבָהּ | ʾel tōḵ rə-ḥō-vāh} specifies the public square. The coordinated verbs vesarafta ba’esh {וְשָׂרַפְתָּ בָּאֵשׁ | wə-śā-rap-tā bā-ʾēš} intensify destruction by naming both act and means. The adverbial kelîl {כָּלִיל | kā-lîl} reinforces total dedication la-Yahweh eloheicha {לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ | lā-Yahweh ʾĕ-lō-hey-kā}, indicating divine ownership. The final clause ve-hayetah tel ‘olam lo tibaneh ‘ōd conveys permanent ruin and prohibition, with the Niphal imperfect tibaneh {תִּבָּנֶה | ṯi-bā-nê} marking the forbidden rebuilding. |