| 13. Linguistic Exegesis The verse uses the vav-consecutive imperfect vehayu {וְהָי֞וּ | wə-hā-yû} ‘and they shall be’ to introduce a prophetic declaration. Two construct phrases, battei Yerushalaim {בָּתֵּ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם | bat-tê yə-rû-šā-la-im} and ubattei malchei Yehudah {וּבָתֵּי֙ מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה | û-bat-tê mal-kê yə-hū-ḏāh}, establish possession. The comparative clause kim-qom ha-tofet hattə-mē-ʾîm {כִּמְק֥וֹם הַתֹּ֖פֶת הַטְּמֵאִ֑ים | ki-m-qōm ha-tō-p̄eṯ hat-tə-mē-ʾîm} heightens the image of ritual pollution. The relative particle ʾă-šer {אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾă-šer} introduces the causal clause specifying the ritual verbs qiṭ-ṭə-rû {קִטְּר֜וּ | qiṭ-ṭə-rû} ‘burned incense’ ʿal-gag-gō-ṯê-hem {עַל־גַּגֹּֽתֵיהֶם֙ | ʿal-gag-gō-ṯê-hem} ‘on their roofs’ to tseva ha-šā-ma-yim {צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַיִם | ṣə-ḇā ha-šā-mā-yim} ‘the host of the heavens’, and wə-ha-sēḵ nə-sā-ḵîm {וְהַסֵּ֥ךְ נְסָכִ֖ים | wə-ha-sēḵ nə-sā-ḵîm} ‘and the pouring out of drink offerings’ lē-ʾĕ-lō-hîm ʾă-ḥē-rîm {לֵאלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִֽים | lē-ʾĕ-lō-hîm ʾă-ḥē-rîm} ‘to other gods’. The em dash apposition mirrors the Hebrew’s tightly woven clauses and underscores the comprehensive nature of the idolatrous rites. |