וַיֵּ֕לֶךְ בְּדֶ֖רֶךְ מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְגַ֤ם אֶת־בְּנֹו֙ הֶעֱבִ֣יר בָּאֵ֔שׁ כְּתֹֽעֲבֹות֙ הַגֹּויִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֹורִ֤ישׁ יְהוָה֙ אֹתָ֔ם מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And he walked in the way of the kings of Yisraʾel, and even his son he caused to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom YHWH dispossessed before the children of Yisraʾel.
Morphology
- וַיֵּ֕לֶךְ (va-yelekh) – Root: הלך; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he walked”; Notes: Narrative continuation indicating conduct or lifestyle.
- בְּדֶ֖רֶךְ (be-derekh) – Root: דרך; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the way of”; Notes: Figurative for behavior or tradition.
- מַלְכֵ֣י (malkhei) – Root: מלך; Form: Construct plural; Translation: “the kings of”; Notes: Refers to northern kings as negative models.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Yisraʾel) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: The northern kingdom, often depicted as apostate.
- וְגַ֤ם (ve-gam) – Root: גם; Form: Conjunction + adverb; Translation: “and also” / “even”; Notes: Adds severity to what follows.
- אֶת־בְּנֹו֙ (et-beno) – Roots: את, בן; Form: Object marker + noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his son”; Notes: Direct object of the following verb.
- הֶעֱבִ֣יר (heʿevir) – Root: עבר; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he caused to pass”; Notes: Refers to ritual child sacrifice by fire.
- בָּאֵ֔שׁ (ba-ʾesh) – Root: אשׁ; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “through the fire”; Notes: Idolatrous practice condemned in the Torah.
- כְּתֹֽעֲבֹות֙ (ke-toʿavot) – Root: תועבה; Form: Preposition + plural noun feminine; Translation: “according to the abominations of”; Notes: Describes detestable pagan customs.
- הַגֹּויִ֔ם (ha-goyim) – Root: גוי; Form: Definite plural noun masculine; Translation: “the nations”; Notes: Refers to Canaanite peoples.
- אֲשֶׁ֨ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Introduces relative clause.
- הֹורִ֤ישׁ (horish) – Root: ירשׁ; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He dispossessed”; Notes: Refers to YHWH driving out the Canaanites.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Form: Proper noun (Tetragrammaton); Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Subject of the dispossession.
- אֹתָ֔ם (otam) – Root: את; Form: Object pronoun 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers back to the nations.
- מִפְּנֵ֖י (mi-penei) – Root: פנים; Form: Preposition + construct noun masculine plural; Translation: “from before”; Notes: Spatial expression indicating removal from presence.
- בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל (benei Yisraʾel) – Roots: בן, ישראל; Form: Construct plural + proper noun; Translation: “the children of Yisraʾel”; Notes: The people whom YHWH brought into the land.