| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with laken {לָכֵ֣ן | lā-ḵên} ‘therefore’, marking logical consequence. The composite imperative dabberotam {דַּבֵּר־א֠וֹתָם | dab-bēr-ʾō-tām} ‘speak to them’ uses a piel form with pronominal suffix to intensify the directive, followed by ve’amarta {וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ | wə-ʾā-mar-tā} ‘and you shall say’. The prophetic formula koh-amar Adonai Yahweh {כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוָה | kōh-ʾā-mar ʾă-dō-nāy Yə-hō-wāh} introduces divine authority. The doubled ish ish {אִ֣ישׁ אִ֣ישׁ | ʾîš ʾîš} conveys universality. The hifil clause ya’aleh et-gillulav el-libbo {יַעֲלֶה אֶת־גִּלּוּלָיו אֶל־לִבּוֹ | ya-ʿă-lêh ʾet-gil-lû-lāw ʾel-lib-bō} depicts internal idolatry, while the phrase u-mikhshol avono yāsim nōkhaḥ panav {וּמִכְשׁוֹל עֲוֺנוֹ יָשִׂים נֹכַח פָּנָיו | û-mik-šōl ʿă-vo-nō yā-sîm nō-khaḥ pā-nāw} highlights deliberate sin as an obstacle. The sequence bah boʾ {בָּ֛ה בֹּא | bāh bōʾ} forms a temporal circumstantial clause, and the prepositional phrase bərov gillulav {בְּרֹב גִּלּוּלָיו | bə-rōv gil-lû-lāw} ‘in the multitude of his idols’ sets the measure for divine response. The declaration ani Yahweh na’anēti lo {אֲנִ֣י יְהוָה נַעֲנֵיתִי לוֹ | ʾă-nî Yə-hō-wāh na-ʿă-nê-tî lō} ‘I, the LORD, will answer him’ asserts personal divine action. |