וַיִּהְי֥וּ יְרֵאִ֖ים אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה וַיַּעֲשׂ֨וּ לָהֶ֤ם מִקְצֹותָם֙ כֹּהֲנֵ֣י בָמֹ֔ות וַיִּהְי֛וּ עֹשִׂ֥ים לָהֶ֖ם בְּבֵ֥ית הַבָּמֹֽות׃
And they were fearing YHWH, and they made from among themselves priests of the high places, and they were making for them in the house of the high places.
Morphology
- וַיִּהְיוּ (va-yihyu) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they were”; Notes: Describes a continued state or condition.
- יְרֵאִים (yereʾim) – Root: ירא (y-r-ʾ); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “fearing”; Notes: May indicate outward reverence or mixed religious loyalty.
- אֶת־יְהוָה (et-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The object of the fear or religious attention.
- וַיַּעֲשׂוּ (va-yaʿasu) – Root: עשׂה (ʿasah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they made”; Notes: Refers to appointing or establishing.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: הם (hem); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “for themselves”; Notes: Reflexive—indicates self-directed action.
- מִקְצֹותָם (miqtzotam) – Root: קצה (qatseh); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural construct + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “from among them” or “from their edges”; Notes: Implies selection from their own people.
- כֹּהֲנֵי (kohanei) – Root: כהן (kohen); Form: Construct plural noun; Translation: “priests of”; Notes: Religious functionaries, likely unauthorized by Torah standards.
- בָמֹות (bamot) – Root: במה (bamah); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “high places”; Notes: Local shrines or unauthorized altars.
- וַיִּהְיוּ (va-yihyu) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural (repeated); Translation: “and they were”; Notes: Indicates continued cultic activity.
- עֹשִׂים (ʿosim) – Root: עשׂה (ʿasah); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “making”; Notes: May refer to performing ritual service or fashioning objects.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: הם (hem); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “for themselves”; Notes: Repeated to emphasize autonomous religious activity.
- בְּבֵית הַבָּמֹות (be-veit ha-bamot) – Root: בית (bayit) + במה (bamah); Form: Preposition + construct noun + definite plural noun; Translation: “in the house of the high places”; Notes: Likely refers to established shrines in each city.