יַ֣עַן אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲזָב֗וּנִי וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲווּ֮ לְעַשְׁתֹּרֶת֮ אֱלֹהֵ֣י צִֽדֹנִין֒ לִכְמֹושׁ֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י מֹואָ֔ב וּלְמִלְכֹּ֖ם אֱלֹהֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־עַמֹּ֑ון וְלֹֽא־הָלְכ֣וּ בִדְרָכַ֗י לַעֲשֹׂ֨ות הַיָּשָׁ֧ר בְּעֵינַ֛י וְחֻקֹּתַ֥י וּמִשְׁפָּטַ֖י כְּדָוִ֥ד אָבִֽיו׃
Because they have forsaken Me and have bowed down to ʿAshtoret, god of the Tsidonim, to Kemosh, god of Moʾav, and to Milkōm, god of the children of ʿAmmon, and have not walked in My ways to do what is right in My eyes—My statutes and My judgments—as Dawid his father.
Morphology
- יַ֣עַן (yaʿan) – Root: יען (y.ʿ.n); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “Because”; Notes: Introduces the reason or cause for punishment or action.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר (ʾasher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Links to the preceding conjunction as an explanatory clause.
- עֲזָב֗וּנִי (ʿazavuni) – Root: עזב (ʿ.z.b); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “they have forsaken Me”; Notes: Refers to abandoning YHWH.
- וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲווּ (va-yishtakḥavu) – Root: שׁחה (sh.ḥ.h); Form: Hishtaphel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they bowed down”; Notes: Act of worship or reverence, often idolatrous.
- לְעַשְׁתֹּרֶת (le-ʿAshtoret) – Root: עשׁתר (ʿ.sh.t.r); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to ʿAshtoret”; Notes: Canaanite goddess worshipped by the Tsidonim.
- אֱלֹהֵי צִֽדֹנִין (Elohei Tsidonim) – Root: אל (ʾ.l) + צידון (ts.d.n); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “god of the Tsidonim”; Notes: Denotes national deity.
- לִכְמֹושׁ (li-Kemosh) – Root: כמשׁ (k.m.sh); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Kemosh”; Notes: National god of Moʾav.
- אֱלֹהֵי מֹואָב (Elohei Moʾav) – Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “god of Moʾav”; Notes: Another national deity named in the indictment.
- וּלְמִלְכֹּם (u-le-Milkōm) – Root: מלכם (m.l.k.m); Form: Conjunction + preposition + proper noun; Translation: “and to Milkōm”; Notes: Also known as Molekh, god of ʿAmmon.
- אֱלֹהֵי בְנֵי־עַמֹּן (Elohei venei-ʿAmmon) – Form: Construct + construct phrase; Translation: “god of the children of ʿAmmon”; Notes: Third foreign deity mentioned.
- וְלֹֽא־הָלְכ֣וּ (ve-lo-halekhu) – Root: הלך (h.l.k); Form: Conjunction + negative + Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “and they did not walk”; Notes: Metaphor for conduct or obedience.
- בִדְרָכַ֗י (bi-drakhai) – Root: דרך (d.r.k); Form: Preposition + plural noun + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “in My ways”; Notes: Refers to moral and covenantal path.
- לַעֲשֹׂ֨ות (laʿasot) – Root: עשה (ʿ.ś.h); Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to do”; Notes: Purpose clause with next phrase.
- הַיָּשָׁ֧ר (ha-yashar) – Root: ישׁר (y.sh.r); Form: Definite adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “what is right”; Notes: That which is morally upright.
- בְּעֵינַ֛י (be-ʿeinai) – Root: עין (ʿ.y.n); Form: Preposition + noun + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “in My eyes”; Notes: According to divine judgment.
- וְחֻקֹּתַ֥י (ve-ḥuqqotai) – Root: חקק (ḥ.q.q); Form: Conjunction + plural noun + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and My statutes”; Notes: Religious and legal requirements.
- וּמִשְׁפָּטַ֖י (u-mishpatai) – Root: שפט (sh.p.ṭ); Form: Conjunction + plural noun + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and My judgments”; Notes: Legal decisions or commands.
- כְּדָוִ֥ד (ke-Dawid) – Root: דוד (d.w.d); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “as Dawid”; Notes: Standard of obedience.
- אָבִֽיו (aviv) – Root: אב (ʾ.b); Form: Noun + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his father”; Notes: Refers to Dawid as father of Shelomoh.