| 10. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the causal conjunction ya'an {יַ֣עַן | yā‘an} ‘because’, reinforced by the compound ū-ve-ya'an {וּבְיַ֜עַן | ū-ve-yā‘an} ‘and because’. The Hiphil perfect hit'u {הִטְע֧וּ | hiṭ-‘û} ‘led astray’ takes the direct object marker ʾet {אֶת־ | ʾet} to mark the deception of ‘ammi {עַמִּ֛י | ‘ammî} ‘my people’. The infinitive construct le-mor {לֵאמֹ֥ר | lē-ʾmôr} ‘to say’ introduces the false assurance shalom {שָׁל֖וֹם | šālôm} ‘peace’, immediately negated by the existential negator wə-’ein {וְאֵ֣ן | wə-ʾên} + shalom {שָׁל֑וֹם | šālôm}. The focus shifts metaphorically with the Qal participle bōnēh {בֹּנֶה | bōnēh} ‘building’ in wə-hū bōnēh ḥayîṣ {וְהוּא בֹּנֶה חַיִץ | wə-hū bōnēh ḥayîṣ} ‘and he is building a wall’, followed by ṭāḥîm {טָחִים | ṭāḥîm} ‘plastering’ in wə-hinnām ṭāḥîm ʾôtô ṭāp̄ēl {וְהִנָּם טָחִים אֹתוֹ תָּפֵֽל | wə-hinnām ṭāḥîm ʾôtô ṭāp̄ēl} ‘and behold, they plaster it with plaster’. The use of Qal participles conveys ongoing, habitual action, emphasizing repeated deception and superficial remedies that mask structural faults. |