| 23. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the adversative particle akh {אַךְ | ʾăḥ} marking an exception, followed by the prepositional phrase el-ha-parokhet {אֶל־הַפָּרֹכֶת | ʾel-hă-pā-rō-ḥeṯ} “to the curtain” with lo {לֹא | lōʾ} + yavo {יָבֹא | yā-vō} “he shall come.” A parallel vav-phrase ve-el-ha-mizbeach {וְאֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ | wə-ʾel-hă-miz-bē-ʾaḥ} “and to the altar” + lo + yiggash {יִגַּשׁ | yi-ḡaš} “he shall approach” reinforces the prohibition. The conjunction ki {כִּי | kî} introduces the reason clause ki-mum-bo {כִּי־מוּם בּוֹ | kî-mūm bô} “for a defect is in him,” where mum {מוּם | mūm} functions as predicate noun. The subsequent prohibition ve-lo yekhallel {וְלֹא יְחַלֵּל | wə-lōʾ yə-ḥal-lêl} “and not he shall profane” uses the Piel imperfect to stress potential desecration; et {אֶת | ʾet} marks the direct object mikdashai {מִקְדָּשַׁי | mik-də-šāy} “my sanctuary,” indicating divine possession. The verse concludes with ani Yahweh mekaddesham {אֲנִי יְהוָה מְקַדְּשָׁם | ʾă-nî Yə-hō-wāh mə-qaḏ-de-šā(m)} “I am the LORD who sanctifies them,” highlighting God’s ongoing sanctifying role and justifying exclusion. |