וַיַּעֲשׂ֨וּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל אֶת־הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַֽיִּשְׁכְּח֖וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּעַבְד֥וּ אֶת־הַבְּעָלִ֖ים וְאֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרֹֽות׃
And the sons of Yisraʾel did evil in the eyes of YHWH, and they forgot YHWH their God, and they served the Baʿalim and the Asherot.
Morphology
- וַיַּעֲשׂ֨וּ (vayyaʿasu) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they did”; Notes: Refers to the actions of Yisraʾel.
- בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל (bene-Yisraʾel) – Root: בן (ben), ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with proper noun; Translation: “the sons of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- אֶת־הָרַע֙ (et-ha-ra) – Root: רעע (raʿ); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “the evil”; Notes: Specifies their wrongdoing.
- בְּעֵינֵ֣י (be-einei) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun, dual construct with preposition; Translation: “in the eyes of”; Notes: Expresses divine perception.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the God of Yisraʾel.
- וַֽיִּשְׁכְּח֖וּ (vayyishkeḥu) – Root: שכח (shakaḥ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they forgot”; Notes: Denotes abandonment of YHWH.
- אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה (et-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun with direct object marker; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to Yisraʾel’s God.
- אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם (Eloheihem) – Root: אלהים (Elohim); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their God”; Notes: Specifies YHWH as their deity.
- וַיַּעַבְד֥וּ (vayyaʿavdu) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they served”; Notes: Indicates idolatrous worship.
- אֶת־הַבְּעָלִ֖ים (et-ha-Baʿalim) – Root: בעל (Baʿal); Form: Noun, masculine plural absolute with definite article; Translation: “the Baʿals”; Notes: Refers to Canaanite deities.
- וְאֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרֹֽות (ve-et-ha-Asherot) – Root: אשרה (Asherah); Form: Noun, feminine plural absolute with definite article; Translation: “and the Asherot”; Notes: Refers to sacred wooden poles or goddesses worshiped in Canaan.