וַיִּתֹּץ֙ אֶת־בָּתֵּ֣י הַקְּדֵשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר הַנָּשִׁ֗ים אֹרְגֹ֥ות שָׁ֛ם בָּתִּ֖ים לָאֲשֵׁרָֽה׃
And he tore down the houses of the cult prostitutes that were in the house of YHWH, where the women were weaving houses for the Ashera.
Morphology
- וַיִּתֹּץ֙ (va-yitots) – Root: נתץ; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he tore down”; Notes: Destruction of illicit structures in the Temple precinct.
- אֶת־בָּתֵּ֣י הַקְּדֵשִׁ֔ים (et-battei ha-qedeshim) – Root: בית, קדשׁ; Form: Direct object + construct plural noun + definite noun; Translation: “the houses of the cult prostitutes”; Notes: Refers to structures used for ritual prostitution, a Canaanite practice.
- אֲשֶׁ֖ר (asher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces relative clause describing location.
- בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה (be-veit YHWH) – Root: בית; Form: Preposition + construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “in the house of YHWH”; Notes: Indicates desecration of the Temple by syncretistic practices.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר (asher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “where” / “that”; Notes: Further relative clause describing activity.
- הַנָּשִׁ֗ים (ha-nashim) – Root: אשה; Form: Definite plural noun; Translation: “the women”; Notes: Subject of the weaving activity.
- אֹרְגֹ֥ות (orgot) – Root: ארג; Form: Qal participle feminine plural; Translation: “were weaving”; Notes: Indicates ongoing cultic activity.
- שָׁ֛ם (sham) – Form: Adverb of place; Translation: “there”; Notes: Refers to the Temple location.
- בָּתִּ֖ים (batim) – Root: בית; Form: Masculine plural noun; Translation: “houses”; Notes: May refer metaphorically to hangings or tents used for Asherah worship.
- לָאֲשֵׁרָֽה (la-Asherah) – Root: אשרה; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “for the Asherah”; Notes: Refers to the Canaanite fertility goddess whose cult was condemned in Torah.