| 50. Linguistic Exegesis The verse unfolds as a tight causal sequence through two vav-consecutive imperfect verbs: vatigbehena {וַֽתִּגְבְּהֶ֔ינָה | wăttigbəhēnā} “became haughty” followed by vattaʿăśēnā {וַתַּעֲשֶׂ֥ינָה | wăttaʿăśēnā} “did,” both carrying a feminine plural subject referring to Sodom and her daughters. The singular noun to‘ēḇā {תוֹעֵבָ֖ה | tōʿēḇā}, “abomination,” emphasizes the moral gravity of their actions, and the prepositional phrase lĕfānāy {לְפָנָ֑י | lĕfānāy}, “before me,” foregrounds divine presence as the ethical standard. The Hifil wāʾāsîr {וָאָסִ֥יר | wāʾāsîr} “I removed” takes ʾethēn {אֶתְהֶ֖ן | ʾeṯhēn} as its object, linking punishment to the abominable deed, and the causal clause kaʾăšer rāʾîṯî {כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר רָאִֽיתִי | kaʾăšer rāʾîṯî}, “as I saw,” underscores the immediacy of judgment. This structure highlights divine sovereignty and establishes a direct progression from arrogance to removal. |