וְהִשְׁבִּ֣ית אֶת־הַכְּמָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָֽתְנוּ֙ מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיְקַטֵּ֤ר בַּבָּמֹות֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וּמְסִבֵּ֖י יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְאֶת־הַֽמְקַטְּרִ֣ים לַבַּ֗עַל לַשֶּׁ֤מֶשׁ וְלַיָּרֵ֨חַ֙ וְלַמַּזָּלֹ֔ות וּלְכֹ֖ל צְבָ֥א הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
And he caused to cease the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Yehuda had appointed to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Yehuda and around Yerushalayim, and those who burned incense to the Baʿal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven.
Morphology
- וְהִשְׁבִּ֣ית (ve-hishbit) – Root: שׁבת; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he caused to cease”; Notes: Refers to abolishing or removing from office.
- אֶת־הַכְּמָרִ֗ים (et-ha-kemarim) – Root: כמר; Form: Direct object marker + definite masculine plural noun; Translation: “the idolatrous priests”; Notes: Pagan priests not associated with Levitical service.
- אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָֽתְנוּ֙ (asher natnu) – Root: נתן; Form: Relative pronoun + Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “whom they appointed”; Notes: Refers to past royal appointments.
- מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה (malkei Yehudah) – Root: מלך; Form: Construct plural + proper noun; Translation: “kings of Yehudah”; Notes: Monarchs responsible for institutionalizing idolatry.
- וַיְקַטֵּ֤ר (va-yeqatter) – Root: קטר; Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “to burn incense”; Notes: Cultic act typically done in worship.
- בַּבָּמֹות֙ (ba-bamot) – Root: במה; Form: Preposition + definite plural noun; Translation: “in the high places”; Notes: Illegitimate worship sites.
- בְּעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה (be-arei Yehudah) – Root: עיר; Form: Preposition + construct plural noun + proper noun; Translation: “in the cities of Yehudah”; Notes: Widespread cultic corruption.
- וּמְסִבֵּ֖י יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם (u-mesivei Yerushalayim) – Root: סבב; Form: Conjunction + construct plural participle + proper noun; Translation: “and around Yerushalayim”; Notes: Indicates geographical extent of idolatry.
- וְאֶת־הַֽמְקַטְּרִ֣ים (ve-et ha-meqatt’rim) – Root: קטר; Form: Conjunction + direct object + participle masculine plural; Translation: “and those who burned incense”; Notes: Includes non-priestly participants.
- לַבַּ֗עַל (la-Baʿal) – Root: בעל; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to the Baʿal”; Notes: Central Canaanite deity.
- לַשֶּׁ֤מֶשׁ (la-shemesh) – Root: שמש; Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “to the sun”; Notes: Astral worship condemned in Torah.
- וְלַיָּרֵ֨חַ֙ (ve-la-yareʿaḥ) – Root: ירח; Form: Conjunction + preposition + definite noun; Translation: “and to the moon”; Notes: Lunar cult practices.
- וְלַמַּזָּלֹ֔ות (ve-la-mazzalot) – Root: מזל; Form: Conjunction + preposition + plural noun; Translation: “and to the constellations”; Notes: Possible zodiac or astral deities.
- וּלְכֹ֖ל צְבָ֥א הַשָּׁמָֽיִם (u-le-khol tseva ha-shamayim) – Root: צבא; Form: Conjunction + preposition + construct phrase; Translation: “and to all the host of heaven”; Notes: Summary term for all celestial worship.