וַיָּ֗שָׁב וַיִּ֨בֶן֙ אֶת־הַבָּמֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִבַּ֖ד חִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ אָבִ֑יו וַיָּ֨קֶם מִזְבְּחֹ֜ת לַבַּ֗עַל וַיַּ֤עַשׂ אֲשֵׁרָה֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֗ה אַחְאָב֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֨חוּ֙ לְכָל־צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ד אֹתָֽם׃
And he returned and built the high places which Ḥizqiyahu his father had destroyed, and he set up altars for the Baʿal, and he made an ʾAshera, as Aḥʾav king of Yisraʾel had done, and he bowed down to all the host of the heavens and served them.
Morphology
- וַיָּ֗שָׁב (va-yashav) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he returned”; Notes: Marks a reversal in policy or behavior, often spiritual regression.
- וַיִּ֨בֶן (va-yiven) – Root: בנה (banah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he built”; Notes: Reconstructs forbidden religious sites.
- אֶת־הַבָּמֹ֔ות (et-ha-bamot) – Root: במה (bamah); Form: Direct object marker + definite plural noun feminine; Translation: “the high places”; Notes: Locations for idolatrous worship.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause modifying “high places.”
- אִבַּ֖ד (ibbad) – Root: אבד (ʾavad); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he had destroyed”; Notes: Refers to Ḥizqiyahu’s reforms.
- חִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ (Ḥizqiyyahu) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Masculine singular; Translation: “Ḥizqiyahu”; Notes: Former king who removed idolatry.
- אָבִ֑יו (aviv) – Root: אב (av); Form: Noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his father”; Notes: Shows familial continuity.
- וַיָּ֨קֶם (va-yaqem) – Root: קום (qum); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he set up”; Notes: Indicates active establishment of false worship.
- מִזְבְּחֹ֜ת (mizbeḥot) – Root: זבח (zavaḥ); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “altars”; Notes: Structures for ritual offerings.
- לַבַּ֗עַל (la-Baʿal) – Root: בעל (Baʿal); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to the Baʿal”; Notes: Refers to the Canaanite storm god.
- וַיַּ֤עַשׂ (va-yaʿas) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he made”; Notes: Continues list of religious apostasy.
- אֲשֵׁרָה֙ (Asherah) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Feminine singular; Translation: “an ʾAsherah”; Notes: Refers either to a Canaanite goddess or her cultic image/pole.
- כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר (ka-asher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Preposition + relative pronoun; Translation: “as” / “like that which”; Notes: Introduces comparison to past king.
- עָשָׂ֗ה (ʿasah) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “had done”; Notes: Refers to precedent of apostasy.
- אַחְאָב֙ (Aḥʾav) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Masculine singular; Translation: “Aḥʾav”; Notes: Wicked king of Yisraʾel known for idolatry.
- מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (melekh Yisraʾel) – Root: מלך + ישראל; Form: Construct chain; Translation: “king of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Political and spiritual leader.
- וַיִּשְׁתַּ֨חוּ (va-yishtakhu) – Root: שחה (shakha); Form: Hishtaphel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he bowed down”; Notes: Gesture of worship and submission.
- לְכָל־צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם (le-khol-tzeva ha-shamayim) – Root: צבא + שמים; Form: Preposition + noun construct chain; Translation: “to all the host of the heavens”; Notes: Refers to astral worship—sun, moon, stars.
- וַיַּעֲבֹ֖ד (va-yaʿavod) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he served”; Notes: Engaged in religious rites to the celestial beings.
- אֹתָֽם (otam) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to the host of the heavens.