וְאָמְר֗וּ עַל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָזְב֜וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֹוצִ֣יא אֶת־אֲבֹתָם֮ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַיִם֒ וַֽיַּחֲזִ֨קוּ֙ בֵּאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לָהֶ֖ם וַיַּעַבְדֻ֑ם עַל־כֵּ֗ן הֵבִ֤יא יְהוָה֙ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֥ת כָּל־הָרָעָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת׃
And they shall say, ‘Because they forsook YHWH their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Mitsrayim, and held fast to other gods and bowed down to them and served them, therefore YHWH brought upon them all this evil.’”
Morphology
- וְאָמְרוּ (ve-ʾamru) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and they shall say”; Notes: Introduces a report or explanation.
- עַל אֲשֶׁר (ʿal asher) – Root: על / אשר; Form: Preposition + relative pronoun; Translation: “because / on account of that”; Notes: Introduces the reason for judgment.
- עָזְבוּ (ʿazvu) – Root: עזב; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they forsook”; Notes: A deliberate abandonment of covenantal loyalty.
- אֶת־יְהוָה (et-YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant God of Yisraʾel.
- אֱלֹהֵיהֶם (Eloheihem) – Root: אלוה; Form: Masculine plural construct with 3rd person plural suffix; Translation: “their God”; Notes: Possessive designation emphasizing covenant relationship.
- אֲשֶׁר הֹוצִיא (asher hotzi) – Root: יצא; Form: Relative pronoun + Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “who brought out”; Notes: Refers to the Exodus.
- אֶת־אֲבֹתָם (et-avotam) – Root: אב; Form: Direct object marker + plural noun with 3rd person plural suffix; Translation: “their fathers”; Notes: Refers to the ancestors who came out of Mitsrayim.
- מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם (meʾerets Mitsrayim) – Root: ארץ / מצרים; Form: Preposition + construct phrase; Translation: “out of the land of Mitsrayim”; Notes: Historical anchor of YHWH’s saving act.
- וַיַּחֲזִקוּ (va-yaḥaziqu) – Root: חזק; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and they held fast”; Notes: Implies deliberate adherence to false gods.
- בֵּאלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים (be-elohim aḥerim) – Root: אלוה / אחר; Form: Preposition + plural noun + adjective; Translation: “to other gods”; Notes: Idolatrous deities foreign to YHWH’s covenant.
- וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ (va-yishtakḥavu) – Root: חוה; Form: Hishtaphel perfect 3rd person plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and they bowed down”; Notes: Posture of worship or submission.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: הם; Form: Preposition + 3rd person plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the other gods.
- וַיַּעַבְדֻם (va-yaʿavdum) – Root: עבד; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural + 3rd person plural suffix with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and they served them”; Notes: Indicates religious devotion and allegiance.
- עַל־כֵּן (ʿal-ken) – Root: כן; Form: Prepositional phrase; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Marks the consequence of previous actions.
- הֵבִיא (heviʾ) – Root: בוא; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He brought”; Notes: Describes divine judgment.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The one executing judgment.
- עֲלֵיהֶם (ʿaleihem) – Root: על; Form: Preposition + 3rd person plural suffix; Translation: “upon them”; Notes: Refers to Yisraʾel.
- אֵת כָּל־הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת (et kol ha-raʿah hazzot) – Root: רע; Form: Direct object marker + construct noun + definite noun + demonstrative adjective; Translation: “all this evil”; Notes: Refers to the calamity YHWH brought on them.