| 22. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the negative particle velo {וְלֹא | vĕ-lōʾ} ‘and not’, introduced by a vav-conjunction to mark prohibition. The Hiphil imperfect verb taqim {תָקִים | tāqîm} ‘you shall set up’ expresses a 2nd person masculine singular command. The prepositional phrase lekha {לְךָ | lə-ḵā} ‘for yourself’ specifies the beneficiary. The noun matzevah {מַצֵּבָה | maṣṣēḇāh} ‘pillar’ functions as the direct object, denoting a cultic standing stone. The relative pronoun asher {אֲשֶׁר | ăšer} ‘that’ introduces a clause of divine disposition. Within that clause, the verb sane {שָׂנֵא | śānēʾ} ‘hates’ (Qal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular) conveys strong divine rejection. The construct phrase Yahweh Elohecha {יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ | Yəhōwāh ʾĕlōheḵā} ‘the LORD your God’ serves as the subject of the relative clause, foregrounding the covenant relationship. Hebrew places the object before the subject to emphasize the forbidden item, and English renders the clause with a causal connective to preserve its explanatory force. |