| 21. Linguistic Exegesis lo {לֹא | lō} ‘not’ immediately precedes tiṭṭa‘ {תִטַּע | tiṭ-ṭa‘} ‘you shall plant’, forming a prohibition. The object asherah {אֲשֵׁרָה | ’a-she-rah} ‘cultic pole’ is qualified by kol-‘ets {כָּל־עֵץ | kol-‘ēts} ‘any tree’, indicating universal scope. The prepositional phrase etzel mizbeach {אֵצֶל מִזְבֵּחַ | ’ē-tzel miz-bē-aḥ} ‘beside the altar’ establishes location, specified by the construct phrase Yahweh Eloheikha {יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ | Yahweh ’ĕ-lō-hē-kha} ‘of the LORD your God’. The relative clause asher ta‘aseh-lekha {אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ | ’ă-šer ta-‘a-seh le-kha} ‘which you make for yourself’ further defines the altar. The sequence of negation and nested modifiers emphasizes the absolute prohibition of idolatrous installations in the sacred worship setting. |