| 39. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with ve’atem {וְאַתֶּם | wəʾattem} addressing the audience, followed by the corporate construct beit-yisrael {בֵּית־יִשְׂרָאֵל | bêṯ yiś-rāʾēl}. The prophetic formula koh-amar {כֹּה־אָמַר | kōh ʾāmar} introduces the oracle through the compound Adonai Yahweh {אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה | ădōnāy Yəhōwāh}, pairing sovereign title with covenant name. The imperatives lechu ivdu {לְכוּ עִבְדוּ | ləḵû ʿibdû} grant ironic sanction to serve idols. The conditional im-einekhem {אִם־אֵינְכֶם | ʾim ʾēnəkhem} is attached directly to this permission, reflecting Hebrew syntax that ties “if you do not listen” to the command. The prohibitive clause lo techallel od {לֹא תְּחַלְּלוּ עוֹד | lōʾ təḥalləlû ʿôḏ} stands alone to forbid further profanation of the name. Parallelism between be-mattoteikhem and u-ve-gilluleikhem balances gifts and idols as objects of misuse. |