וַֽיִּקְרְאוּ֙ בְּקֹ֣ול גָּדֹ֔ול וַיִּתְגֹּֽדְדוּ֙ כְּמִשְׁפָּטָ֔ם בַּחֲרָבֹ֖ות וּבָֽרְמָחִ֑ים עַד־שְׁפָךְ־דָּ֖ם עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃
And they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves, according to their custom, with swords and with spears until blood gushed upon them.
Morphology
- וַֽיִּקְרְאוּ֙ (va-yiqreʾu) – Root: קרא (qara); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3mp; Translation: “And they cried”; Notes: Refers to the continued invocation by Baʿal’s prophets.
- בְּקֹ֣ול גָּדֹ֔ול (be-qol gadol) – Roots: קול (qol), גדל (gadol); Form: Preposition + noun + adjective; Translation: “with a loud voice”; Notes: Emphasizes the volume of their cries.
- וַיִּתְגֹּֽדְדוּ֙ (va-yitgodedu) – Root: גדד (gdd); Form: Hitpael wayyiqtol 3mp; Translation: “and they cut themselves”; Notes: Reflexive form—ritual self-harm, prohibited in Deuteronomy 14:1.
- כְּמִשְׁפָּטָ֔ם (ke-mishpatam) – Root: שפט (shafat); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct + 3mp suffix; Translation: “according to their custom”; Notes: Pagan ritual practice.
- בַּחֲרָבֹ֖ות (ba-ḥaravot) – Root: חרב (ḥerev); Form: Preposition + plural noun; Translation: “with swords”; Notes: Instruments of self-cutting.
- וּבָֽרְמָחִ֑ים (u-va-rmaḥim) – Root: רמח (ramaḥ); Form: Conjunction + preposition + plural noun; Translation: “and with spears”; Notes: Adds to the intensity of the ritual.
- עַד־שְׁפָךְ־דָּ֖ם (ʿad-shefakh-dam) – Roots: שפך (shafakh), דם (dam); Form: Preposition + infinitive construct + noun; Translation: “until the shedding of blood”; Notes: Result of the violent ritual.
- עֲלֵיהֶֽם (aleihem) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + 3mp suffix; Translation: “upon them”; Notes: The blood flowed upon their own bodies.