| 1. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with the vav-consecutive Hiphil verb yāsīpu {וַיֹּסִ֙פוּ֙ | wayyōsîpû} “and they again did,” indicating repeated apostasy. The construct bnê yiśrāʾēl {בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | bnê yiśrāʾēl} “sons of Israel” denotes corporate identity. The infinitive construct laʿăśôt {לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת | la-ʿăśôt} marks intentional action toward the particular moral offense hārāʿ {הָרַ֖ע | hārāʿ} “the evil.” The phrase bəʿēnê Yahweh {בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה | bə-ʿē-nê Yahweh} “in the eyes of the LORD” emphasizes divine evaluation, followed by the vav-consecutive wayyiṯnêm {וַיִּתְּנֵ֧ם | wayyiṯnêm} “and He gave them,” attributing judicial agency. The idiom bəyād pĕlištîm {בְּיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים | bə-yād pĕlištîm} “into the hand of the Philistines” indicates subjugation, and the numeral phrase arbaʿîm šānâh {אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה | ʾar-bā-ʿîm šānâh} “forty years” specifies the duration of oppression, reflecting a generation-long cycle of judgment. |