וַֽיִּתְּצ֔וּ אֵ֖ת מַצְּבַ֣ת הַבָּ֑עַל וַֽיִּתְּצוּ֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית הַבַּ֔עַל וַיְשִׂמֻ֥הוּ לְמַחֲרָאֹ֖ות עַד־הַיֹּֽום׃
And they broke down the pillar of the Baʿal, and they broke down the house of the Baʿal, and made it a latrine to this day.
Morphology
- וַיִּתְּצוּ (va-yittetsu) – Root: נתץ (n-t-ts); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they broke down”; Notes: Refers to deliberate demolition.
- אֵת מַצְּבַת (et-matsevat) – Root: נצב (n-ts-v); Form: Direct object marker + construct feminine singular; Translation: “the pillar of”; Notes: Cultic standing stone used in Baʿal worship.
- הַבָּעַל (ha-Baʿal) – Root: בעל (b-ʿ-l); Form: Definite noun; Translation: “the Baʿal”; Notes: Canaanite storm god.
- וַיִּתְּצוּ (va-yittetsu) – As above; Translation: “and they broke down”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis, now targeting the building itself.
- אֶת־בֵּית הַבַּעַל (et-beit ha-Baʿal) – Root: בית / בעל (b-y-t / b-ʿ-l); Form: Direct object marker + construct noun + definite noun; Translation: “the house of the Baʿal”; Notes: Temple or sanctuary of Baʿal worship.
- וַיְשִׂמֻהוּ (va-yesimuhu) – Root: שׂים (s-y-m); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and they made it”; Notes: Refers to repurposing the former temple.
- לְמַחֲרָאֹות (le-maḥaraʾot) – Root: חרא (ḥ-r-ʾ); Form: Preposition + plural noun; Translation: “a latrine”; Notes: Indicates utter desecration—turned into a public toilet.
- עַד־הַיֹּום (ʿad ha-yom) – Root: יום (y-w-m); Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “to this day”; Notes: Formulaic phrase stressing the lasting nature of the desecration.