| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the Piel imperative dabber {דַּבֵּ֞ר | dabbēr} ‘speak’, issuing a direct divine command. The construct chain el kol adat b’nei Yisraʼel {אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֧ת־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל | ʾél kāl ʿădat bənē Yisrāʾēl} ‘to all the congregation of the sons of Israel’ employs el {אֶל־ | ʾél} ‘to’ with the construct status of kol {כָּל־ | kāl} and adat {עֲדַ֧ת | ʿădat}, emphasizing collective identity. The vav-consecutive veʾamarta {וְאָמַרְתָּ֥ | wəʾāmārtā} transitions from address to instruction. The predicative phrase qĕdōšîm tihyū {קְדֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ֑ | qĕḏōšîm tihyū} ‘holy you shall be’ features a plural adjective with Qal imperfect to indicate ongoing communal status. The conjunction kî {כִּ֣י | kî} ‘for/because’ introduces the self-affirmation qādōš ʾănî Yahweh ʾĕlōhêḵem {קָד֔וֹשׁ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם | qādōš ʾănî Yahweh ʾĕlōhêḵem} ‘for I the LORD your God am holy.’ Positioning the divine name at the close delivers climactic emphasis, rooting the moral injunction in the character of the covenant Lord. |