| 9. Linguistic Exegesis The conjunction kî {כִּי | kî} establishes a temporal condition. The participle bāʾ {בָּא | bāʾ} conveys ongoing entry with the destination marked by ʾel-hā-ʾā-reṣ {אֶל־הָאָרֶץ | ʾel hā-ʾā-reṣ}. The relative pronoun ʾăšer {אֲשֶׁר | ʾăšer} introduces a clause defining “land” as that which Yəhōwāh ʾĕ-lō-hê-kā {יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ | Yəhōwāh ʾĕ-lō-hê-kā} nāṯēn {נֹתֵן | nōṯēn} is giving. The prohibition employs the negative particle lōʾ {לֹא | lōʾ} prefixed to the imperfect tilmad {תִלְמַד | tilmad} “you shall not learn,” governing the infinitive la-ʿă-šôt {לַעֲשׂוֹת | la-ʿă-šôt} “to do.” The construct phrase kə-ṯô-ʿă-ḇôṯ ha-gō-yîm hā-hêm {כְּתוֹעֲבֹת הַגּוֹיִם הָהֵם | kə-ṯô-ʿă-ḇôṯ ha-gō-yîm hā-hêm} situates Israel’s moral boundary against pagan practices. |