| 23. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the prefixed conjunction velo {וְלֹא | wə-lōʾ} ‘and not,’ signaling a prohibition centered on the imperfect verb telekhu {תֵֽלְכוּ | tĕlĕḵû} ‘you shall walk’ and its object bechukot {בְּחֻקֹּת | bə-ḥuqqōṯ} ‘statutes.’ The noun hagoy {הַגּוֹי | ha-gōy} ‘the nation’ is specified by a relative clause introduced by asher {אֲשֶׁר | ʾă-šer} ‘which’ and the Piel participle meshalleach {מְשַׁלֵּחַ | mə-šallē-aḥ} ‘sending away,’ attributing ongoing divine action. The prepositional phrase mipneykhem {מִפְּנֵיכֶם | mie-p̄nĕ-ye-khem} ‘from before you’ defines spatial relation. The causal conjunction ki {כִּי | kî} ‘because’ heads the reason clause containing the maqqef-bound compound et-kol-eleh {אֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה | ʾeṭ-kôl-ʾêlleh} ‘all these’ and the Qal perfect verb asu {עָשׂוּ | ʿāśû} ‘they have done.’ The final vav-conversive verb vaakuts {וָאָקֻץ | wă-ʾā-quṭs} ‘I abhorred’ employs the imperfect form to express a completed divine sentiment of rejection. This syntax preserves causal logic and underscores the moral basis for the prohibition. |