חָרַ֣שׁ עֵצִים֮ נָ֣טָה קָו֒ יְתָאֲרֵ֣הוּ בַשֶּׂ֔רֶד יַעֲשֵׂ֨הוּ֙ בַּמַּקְצֻעֹ֔ות וּבַמְּחוּגָ֖ה יְתָאֳרֵ֑הוּ וַֽיַּעֲשֵׂ֨הוּ֙ כְּתַבְנִ֣ית אִ֔ישׁ כְּתִפְאֶ֥רֶת אָדָ֖ם לָשֶׁ֥בֶת בָּֽיִת׃
The woodworker stretches a line, he marks it out with a stylus, he shapes it with planes, and with a compass he marks it out; and he makes it like the figure of a man, like the beauty of a human, to dwell in a house.
Morphology
- חָרַשׁ (ḥarash) – Root: חרשׁ; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has fashioned” or “worked”; Notes: Refers to a craftsman working with wood.
- עֵצִים (ʿetsim) – Root: עץ; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “woods” or “pieces of wood”; Notes: The material used in idol-making.
- נָטָה (natah) – Root: נטה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he stretched”; Notes: Refers to the drawing of a measuring line.
- קָו (qav) – Root: קו; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “line”; Notes: A cord used for measuring or marking.
- יְתָאֲרֵהוּ (yetaʾarehu) – Root: תאר; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “he marks it out”; Notes: Refers to outlining the shape on the wood.
- בַשֶּׂרֶד (ba-sered) – Root: שרד; Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “with the stylus”; Notes: A tool for engraving or tracing.
- יַעֲשֵׂהוּ (yaʿasehu) – Root: עשה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “he shapes it” or “makes it”; Notes: Describes the act of carving or forming.
- בַּמַּקְצֻעֹות (ba-maqtzuʿot) – Root: קצע; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “with the planes”; Notes: Tools for smoothing or shaping wood.
- וּבַמְּחוּגָה (u-va-meḥugah) – Root: חוג; Form: Conjunction + preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “and with the compass”; Notes: Used for drawing circles or curves.
- יְתָאֳרֵהוּ (yetoʾarehu) – Root: תאר; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “he marks it out”; Notes: Repetition reinforces precision and intentional design.
- וַיַּעֲשֵׂהוּ (va-yaʿasehu) – Root: עשה; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and he made it”; Notes: Final act of forming the idol.
- כְּתַבְנִית (ke-tavnit) – Root: תבנית; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “like the form”; Notes: Indicates that the idol is modeled after a human pattern.
- אִישׁ (ish) – Root: איש; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: The idol mimics human appearance.
- כְּתִפְאֶרֶת (ke-tifʾeret) – Root: פאר; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “like the beauty”; Notes: Conveys aesthetic appeal or impressiveness.
- אָדָם (adam) – Root: אדם; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “of a human”; Notes: General term for mankind.
- לָשֶׁבֶת (la-shevet) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “to dwell”; Notes: Purpose clause, indicating the idol is placed in a dwelling.
- בָּיִת (bayit) – Root: בית; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “house”; Notes: Likely refers to a shrine or temple for the idol.