וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ בְּכָל־דֶּ֛רֶךְ אָסָ֥א אָבִ֖יו לֹא־סָ֣ר מִמֶּ֑נּוּ לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ אַ֥ךְ הַבָּמֹ֖ות לֹֽא־סָ֑רוּ עֹ֥וד הָעָ֛ם מְזַבְּחִ֥ים וּֽמְקַטְּרִ֖ים בַּבָּמֹֽות׃
And he walked in all the way of Asa his father; he did not turn aside from it, to do what is right in the eyes of YHWH. Only, the high places were not removed; the people were still sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.
Morphology
- וַיֵּלֶךְ (va-yelekh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he walked”; Notes: Describes Yehoshafat’s faithful conduct.
- בְּכָל־דֶּרֶךְ (be-khol-derekh) – Roots: כל (kol), דרך (derekh); Form: Preposition + construct phrase; Translation: “in all the way”; Notes: Idiom for life conduct or pattern of behavior.
- אָסָא (Asa) – Root: אסא (Asa); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Asa”; Notes: Father of Yehoshafat and his righteous example.
- אָבִיו (aviv) – Root: אב (av); Form: Noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his father”; Notes: Possessive form tying Asa to Yehoshafat.
- לֹא־סָר (lo-sar) – Root: סר (sar); Form: Negative particle + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he did not turn aside”; Notes: Indicates firm adherence to Asa’s path.
- מִמֶּנּוּ (mi-mennu) – Root: מן (min), הוא (hu); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “from it”; Notes: Refers to Asa’s way or conduct.
- לַעֲשֹׂות (laʿasot) – Root: עשׂה (ʿasah); Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to do”; Notes: Purpose clause for his consistency.
- הַיָּשָׁר (ha-yashar) – Root: ישׁר (yashar); Form: Definite adjective masculine singular; Translation: “what is right”; Notes: Moral uprightness, judged by divine standard.
- בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה (be-ʿeinei YHWH) – Root: עין (ʿayin), יהוה (YHWH); Form: Preposition + construct plural noun + proper noun; Translation: “in the eyes of YHWH”; Notes: Common biblical idiom for divine evaluation.
- אַךְ (ʾakh) – Root: אך (ʾakh); Form: Adversative particle; Translation: “Only” / “However”; Notes: Introduces a limitation or exception.
- הַבָּמֹות (ha-bamot) – Root: במה (bamah); Form: Definite plural feminine noun; Translation: “the high places”; Notes: Unauthorized places of worship, often condemned.
- לֹא־סָרוּ (lo-saru) – Root: סר (sar); Form: Negative particle + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “were not removed”; Notes: Indicates religious compromise or negligence.
- עֹוד (ʿod) – Root: עוד (ʿod); Form: Adverb; Translation: “still”; Notes: Emphasizes continuation of undesirable practice.
- הָעָם (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Refers to the common people of Yehudah.
- מְזַבְּחִים (mezabbeḥim) – Root: זבח (zavaḥ); Form: Piel participle masculine plural; Translation: “were sacrificing”; Notes: Ongoing ritual practice at the high places.
- וּמְקַטְּרִים (u-meqaṭṭerim) – Root: קטר (qaṭar); Form: Piel participle masculine plural; Translation: “and burning incense”; Notes: Parallels sacrificial worship, often condemned when not at the central sanctuary.
- בַּבָּמֹות (ba-bamot) – Root: במה (bamah); Form: Preposition + definite plural noun; Translation: “on the high places”; Notes: Site of continued unauthorized worship despite the king’s piety.