| 27. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the causal connector lakhen {לָכֵן | lā-ḵēn} ‘therefore’ to signal consequence. The piel imperative dabber {דַּבֵּר | dab-bēr} ‘speak’ intensifies the prophetic commission. The construct phrase el-bet yisrael {אֶל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל | ʾel-bēt yiś-rā-ʾēl} ‘to the house of Israel’ identifies the corporate audience. The formula ve-amar-ta ʾalê-hem koh amar adonai yehovah {וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה | wə-ʾā-mar-tā ʾă-lê-hem kōh ʾā-mar ʾă-ḏō-nāy yə-hō-wāh} ‘and you shall say to them, thus says the Lord GOD’ employs a double divine title for solemn authority. The adversative ‘od zot {עוֹד זֹאת | ʿōḏ zōṯ} ‘yet in this’ introduces the indictment, and the piel perfect giddefu oti {גִּדְּפוּ אֹתִי | gid-də-fū ʾō-ṯî} ‘they reviled Me’ conveys intensive contempt. The clause ʾavōtê-khem bə-mā‘ă-lām bî {אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם בְּמָעֲלָם בִּי | ʾă-ḇō-ṯê-ḵem bə-mā-ʿă-lām bî} ‘your fathers in their treachery against Me’ uses construct chains and prepositional phrases to specify covenant breach. The syntax shifts from prophetic command to divine oracle, characteristic of Ezekiel’s judgment speeches. |