זָקֵ֥ן וּנְשׂוּא־פָנִ֖ים ה֣וּא הָרֹ֑אשׁ וְנָבִ֥יא מֹֽורֶה־שֶּׁ֖קֶר ה֥וּא הַזָּנָֽב׃
The elder and honored of face, he is the head; and the prophet teaching falsehood, he is the tail.
Morphology
- זָקֵ֥ן (zaqen) – Root: זקן; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “elder”; Notes: Refers to age or position of authority.
- וּנְשׂוּא־פָנִ֖ים (u-nesuʾ-fanim) – Root: נשא; Form: Conjunction + passive participle masculine singular construct + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and honored of face”; Notes: Idiom meaning someone shown partiality or respect.
- ה֣וּא (hu) – Root: Pronoun; Form: 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he”; Notes: Identifies the subject as the predicate.
- הָרֹ֑אשׁ (ha-roʾsh) – Root: ראשׁ; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the head”; Notes: Symbol of leadership or authority.
- וְנָבִ֥יא (ve-naviʾ) – Root: נבא; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the prophet”; Notes: Refers to a religious leader or spokesman, true or false.
- מֹרֶה־שֶּׁ֖קֶר (moreh-sheqer) – Root: ירה, שקר; Form: Qal participle masculine singular + noun masculine singular; Translation: “teaching falsehood”; Notes: Describes the prophet’s activity—misleading the people.
- ה֥וּא (hu) – Root: Pronoun; Form: 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he”; Notes: Again used for identification.
- הַזָּנָֽב (ha-zanav) – Root: זנב; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the tail”; Notes: Symbol of the base or corrupt element of society.