| 24. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the negative particle al {אַל | ʾal} ‘do not’, which negates the intensive Piel verb tittam’u {תִּֽטַּמְּא֖וּ | tiṭṭamʾû} ‘defile yourselves’, establishing a prohibitive command. The prepositional phrase bekhol-eleh {בְּכָל־אֵ֑לֶּה | bə-ḵōl-ʾêlleh} ‘in all these’ delimits the prohibited acts. The causal conjunction ki {כִּ֤י | kī} ‘for’ introduces a mirrored justificatory clause that repeats bekhol-eleh to reinforce inclusivity. In that clause, the Niphal perfect nitme’u {נִטְמְא֣וּ | niṭməʾû} ‘they were defiled’ describes the passive result for the nations (hagoyim). The relative asher-ani {אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י | ăšer-ʾănî} ‘that I’ links to the Piel participle meshaleach {מְשַׁלֵּ֖חַ | mešalleaḥ} ‘am sending out’, portraying ongoing divine expulsion. The locative mippeneikhem {מִפְּנֵיכֶֽם | mî-pᵉnê-kem} ‘from before you’ situates Israel as covenant heirs. The parallel structure between prohibition and rationale highlights Israel’s call to holiness by contrasting it with the impurity of the nations. |