רַ֤ק הַבָּמֹות֙ לֹ֣א סָ֔רוּ עֹ֗וד הָעָ֛ם מְזַבְּחִ֥ים וּֽמְקַטְּרִ֖ים בַּבָּמֹ֑ות ה֗וּא בָּנָ֛ה אֶת־שַׁ֥עַר בֵּית־יְהוָ֖ה הָעֶלְיֹֽון׃
Only the high places were not removed; still the people were sacrificing and burning incense on the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of YHWH.
Morphology
- רַ֤ק (raq) – Root: רק; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Only”; Notes: Restricts the following statement as an exception.
- הַבָּמֹות֙ (ha-bamot) – Root: במה; Form: Definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “the high places”; Notes: Sites of worship outside the temple, often condemned.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denies the following verb.
- סָ֔רוּ (saru) – Root: סור; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “were removed”; Notes: Refers to failure to abolish idolatrous sites.
- עֹ֗וד (ʿod) – Root: עוד; Form: Adverb; Translation: “still”; Notes: Emphasizes continuation of an action.
- הָעָ֛ם (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Refers to the nation as a whole.
- מְזַבְּחִ֥ים (mezabbeḥim) – Root: זבח; Form: Piel participle masculine plural; Translation: “were sacrificing”; Notes: Intensive form indicating repeated ritual action.
- וּֽמְקַטְּרִ֖ים (u-meqatṭerim) – Root: קטר; Form: Piel participle masculine plural; Translation: “and burning incense”; Notes: Cultic activity often associated with unauthorized worship.
- בַּבָּמֹ֑ות (ba-bamot) – Root: במה; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “on the high places”; Notes: Repeats location of forbidden worship.
- ה֗וּא (hu) – Root: הוא; Form: Independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “he”; Notes: Resumes subject after parenthetical remark.
- בָּנָ֛ה (banah) – Root: בנה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “built”; Notes: Concludes with positive royal achievement.
- אֶת־שַׁ֥עַר (et-shaʿar) – Root: שער; Form: Object marker + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the gate of”; Notes: Direct object of the verb “built.”
- בֵּית־יְהוָ֖ה (beit-YHWH) – Root: בית, יהוה; Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “the house of YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the temple in Yerushalayim.
- הָעֶלְיֹֽון (ha-ʿelyon) – Root: עלל; Form: Definite adjective masculine singular; Translation: “the upper”; Notes: Describes which gate of the temple was constructed or repaired.