| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the verb yirbu {יִרְבּ֥וּ | yirbû} ‘they will multiply’, forming the protasis of a result clause whose apodosis is the refusal. The noun atzevotam {עַצְּבוֹתָם֮ | ʿaṣṣĕḇōṯām} ‘their pains’ follows directly to highlight the intensity of suffering. The construct phrase akher maharu {אַחֵ֢ר מָ֫הָ֥רוּ | āḥēr māhārū} ‘those hastened after another’ identifies idolaters. Two parallel negations, bal {בַּל | bal} ‘not’ and u-bal {וּֽבַל | ū-bal} ‘and not’, introduce two first-person declarations of refusal regarding libations and names. The cultic expression niskehem middam {נִסְכֵּיהֶ֣ם מִדָּ֑ם | nīs̆kēhēm middām} ‘their libations of blood’ retains Hebrew head–modifier order. The direct object marker et {אֶת־ | ʾet} precedes shemotam {שְׁ֝מוֹתָ֗ם | šə·mô·ṯām} ‘their names’, followed by the prepositional phrase al sfatai {עַל־שְׂפָתָי׃ | ʿal sə·pā·ṯāy} ‘on my lips’, framing an image of utter rejection. The chiastic arrangement of the negatives and parallel structure underscores the absolute repudiation of idolatrous rites. |