| 19. Linguistic Exegesis The opening construct chain veervat akhot immekha {וְעֶרְוַ֨ת אֲח֧וֹת אִמְּךָ֛ | və-ʿer-wat ʾa-ḥôt ʾim-mə-ḵā} ‘the nakedness of your mother’s sister’ is paralleled by vaakhot avikha {וַאֲח֥וֹת אָבִ֖יךָ | va-ʾa-ḥôt ʾa-vi-ḵā} ‘and sister of your father,’ establishing dual kinship prohibitions. The negative particle lo {לֹ֣א | lō} precedes the Piel imperfect tegalleh {תְגַלֵּ֑ה | tə-gal-lê} ‘you shall uncover,’ marking a direct legal prohibition. The conjunction ki {כִּ֧י | kî} introduces the causal Hifil perfect phrase et-sheero heerah {אֶת־שְׁאֵר֛וֹ הֶעֱרָ֖ה | ʾet-še-ʾêrô he-ʿe-rāh} ‘for he has uncovered his close relative,’ where the Hifil stem denotes causative action. The verse concludes with the Qal imperfect yisau {יִשָּֽׂאוּ | yi-ssā-ʾû} ‘they will bear’ linked to avonam {עֲוֺנָ֥ם | ʿa-wō-nām} ‘their iniquity,’ reinforcing ongoing accountability. The balanced construct chains and varied verbal stems underscore the seriousness of kinship violations and enduring nature of guilt. |