| 28. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with vaaviem {וָאַבִיאֵם | wā-ʾă-vî-ʾêm} ‘and I brought them’, a Hifil wayyiqtol emphasizing divine causation and completed action. The relative clause asher {אֲשֶׁר | ʾă-šer} links to nasati yadi {נָשָׂאתִי יָדִי | nā-śā-ṯî yā-ḏî}, an idiom for making a solemn oath, forming a purpose statement with the infinitive latet {לָתֵת | lā-ṯēt}. The paired expressions kol giv’ah ramah {כָּל־גִּבְעָה רָמָה | kol gib-ʿāh rā-māh} and kol etz avot {כָּל־עֵץ עָבֹת | kol ʿēṣ ʿā-ḇōṯ} exhibit parallelism to emphasize the idolatrous settings. A series of waw-consecutive verbs (vayizbechu, vayitnu, vayasimu, vayasichu) each tied to sham {שָׁם | šām} highlights the repeated ritual actions in that place. This repetition underscores the systematic nature of Israel’s sacrificial defiance. |