וַיַּעַזְב֗וּ אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֹת֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֛ם מַסֵּכָ֖ה שֶׁנֵּים עֲגָלִ֑ים וַיַּעֲשׂ֣וּ אֲשֵׁירָ֗ה וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲווּ֙ לְכָל־צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיַּעַבְד֖וּ אֶת־הַבָּֽעַל׃
And they forsook all the commandments of YHWH their God, and made for themselves a molten image, two calves, and they made an Ashera, and bowed down to all the host of the heavens, and served the Baʿal.
Morphology
- וַיַּעַזְבוּ (va-yaʿazvu) – Root: עזב (ʿazav); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they forsook”; Notes: Indicates deliberate abandonment or rejection.
- אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֹת (et-kol-mitsvot) – Root: צוה (tsavah); Form: Direct object marker + totality phrase + noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “all the commandments”; Notes: Refers to the entirety of YHWH’s law.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of Israel’s God.
- אֱלֹהֵיהֶם (ʾEloheihem) – Root: אלוה (ʾEloah); Form: Construct plural noun with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their God”; Notes: Indicates possession and covenantal relationship.
- וַיַּעֲשׂוּ (va-yaʿasu) – Root: עשׂה (ʿasah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they made”; Notes: Describes intentional crafting of idols.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: ל (le); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “for themselves”; Notes: Reflects self-directed worship.
- מַסֵּכָה (massekah) – Root: נסך (nasakh); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “molten image”; Notes: Refers to an idol cast from metal.
- שֶׁנֵּים עֲגָלִים (shenayim ʿagalim) – Root: שׁנים (shenayim) + עגל (ʿegel); Form: Numeral + noun masculine plural; Translation: “two calves”; Notes: Allusion to the golden calves of northern Yisraʾel.
- וַיַּעֲשׂוּ אֲשֵׁירָה (va-yaʿasu Asherah) – Root: עשׂה (ʿasah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol + proper noun; Translation: “and they made an Asherah”; Notes: Wooden cult object linked to the goddess Asherah.
- וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ (va-yishtakḥavu) – Root: שׁחה (shacha); Form: Hishtaphel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they bowed down”; Notes: Act of worship or prostration.
- לְכָל־צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם (le-khol tseva ha-shamayim) – Root: צבא (tsava); Form: Preposition + totality phrase + noun + construct; Translation: “to all the host of the heavens”; Notes: Celestial bodies worshiped as deities (sun, moon, stars).
- וַיַּעַבְדוּ (va-yaʿavdu) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they served”; Notes: Regular worship or service as religious devotion.
- אֶת־הַבָּעַל (et-ha-Baʿal) – Root: בעל (Baʿal); Form: Direct object marker + proper noun with definite article; Translation: “the Baʿal”; Notes: Principal Canaanite storm god, emblematic of syncretism.