| 16. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with vehissi’u {וְהִשִּׂ֤יאוּ | wəhissîʾû} ‘and they shall cause to bear’, a Hifil imperfect verb expressing agency in prohibition. The object otam {אוֹתָם֙ | ʾôtām} ‘them’ refers to those who eat the offerings. The hendiadic pair avon {עֲוֺ֣ן | ʿăwôn} ‘guilt’ and ashmah {אַשְׁמָ֔ה | ʾăšmāh} ‘liability’ intensifies culpability. The infinitive construct be’okhlam {בְּאָכְלָ֖ם | bəʾôklām} ‘by eating’ introduces the means, with the construct chain et-kodshehem {אֶת־קָדְשֵׁיהֶ֑ם | ʾet-qōḏšêhem} ‘their holy offerings’ specifying sanctified objects. The conjunction ki {כִּ֛י | kî} ‘for’ introduces a causal clause marked by the emphatic pronoun ani {אֲנִ֥י | ʾănî} ‘I’ and the divine name Yahweh {יְהוָה | Yəhōwāh} ‘LORD’. The Piel participle meqaddesham {מְקַדְּשָֽׁם | məqaddĕšām} ‘sanctifying them’ underscores divine authority in setting these offerings apart. |