וַֽ֠יַּעֲבִירוּ אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֤ם וְאֶת־בְּנֹֽותֵיהֶם֙ בָּאֵ֔שׁ וַיִּקְסְמ֥וּ קְסָמִ֖ים וַיְנַחֵ֑שׁוּ וַיִּֽתְמַכְּר֗וּ לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות הָרַ֛ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לְהַכְעִיסֹֽו׃
And they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and they practiced divinations and augury, and they sold themselves to do what is evil in the eyes of YHWH, to provoke Him to anger.
Morphology
- וַיַּעֲבִירוּ (va-yaʿaviru) – Root: עבר (ʿavar); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they made pass”; Notes: Refers to child sacrifice rituals, particularly to Molekh.
- אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶם (et-beneihem) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Direct object marker + masculine plural noun with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their sons”; Notes: Direct object of the verb “made pass.”
- וְאֶת־בְּנֹותֵיהֶם (ve-et-benoteihem) – Root: בת (bat); Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + feminine plural noun with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and their daughters”; Notes: Also subjected to the same rite.
- בָּאֵשׁ (ba-ʾesh) – Root: אשׁ (ʾesh); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “through the fire”; Notes: Refers to literal or symbolic burning.
- וַיִּקְסְמוּ (va-yiqsemu) – Root: קסם (qasam); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they practiced divinations”; Notes: Forbidden occult practices.
- קְסָמִים (qesamim) – Root: קסם (qasam); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “divinations”; Notes: Denotes magical or prophetic practices not sanctioned by YHWH.
- וַיְנַחֵשׁוּ (va-yenaḥeshu) – Root: נחשׁ (naḥash); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they practiced augury”; Notes: Foretelling using omens or signs, also forbidden.
- וַיִּתְמַכְּרוּ (va-yitmakkeru) – Root: מכר (makar); Form: Hitpael wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they sold themselves”; Notes: Indicates deliberate and total submission to sin.
- לַעֲשׂוֹת (laʿasot) – Root: עשׂה (ʿasah); Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “to do”; Notes: Purpose clause of “sold themselves.”
- הָרַע (ha-raʿ) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Definite adjective masculine singular; Translation: “the evil”; Notes: Moral or cultic evil from YHWH’s perspective.
- בְּעֵינֵי (be-ʿeinei) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Preposition + construct noun dual with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in the eyes of”; Notes: Common biblical phrase meaning “as judged by.”
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The ultimate judge of moral and religious actions.
- לְהַכְעִיסֹו (le-hakhʿiso) – Root: כעס (kaʿas); Form: Hifil infinitive construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to provoke Him to anger”; Notes: Expresses intentional rebellion.