| 13. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the conjunction vav {וּ־ | û} introducing the locative construct uvinvi’ei {וּבִנְבִיאֵ֥י | û-ḇi-nə-ḇî-ʾê} ‘among the prophets of’. Shomron {שֹׁמְרוֹן | šō-mə-rōn} ‘Samaria’ is in construct, linking it to its prophets. The Qal perfect ra’iti {רָאִ֣יתִי | rā-ʾî-ṯî} ‘I saw’ takes the preposed object tiflah {תִפְלָה | tīp̄-lāh} ‘folly’ for emphasis. The Hiphil perfect hinnabbe’u {הִנַּבְּא֣וּ | hin-nab-bə-ʾû} ‘they prophesied’ indicates causative speech, followed by the vav-consecutive vayyat’u {וַיַּתְע֥וּ | vay-ya-ṭ-ʿû} ‘and they led astray,’ advancing the narrative. The phrase bā-Baʿal {בַבַּעַל | ba-ba-ʿal} ‘in Baal’ specifies the prophetic source. The doubled et {אֶת | ʾet} before ʿammi {עַמִּי | ʿam-mî} ‘my people’ and Yisra’el {יִשְׂרָאֵֽל | yiś-rā-ʾêl} ‘Israel’ underscores both corporate and national identity. The structure—object preposing and asyndetic coordination—heightens the charge of prophetic corruption. |