שֹׁוחֵ֨ט הַשֹּׁ֜ור מַכֵּה־אִ֗ישׁ זֹובֵ֤חַ הַשֶּׂה֙ עֹ֣רֵֽף כֶּ֔לֶב מַעֲלֵ֤ה מִנְחָה֙ דַּם־חֲזִ֔יר מַזְכִּ֥יר לְבֹנָ֖ה מְבָ֣רֵֽךְ אָ֑וֶן גַּם־הֵ֗מָּה בָּֽחֲרוּ֙ בְּדַרְכֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְשִׁקּוּצֵיהֶ֖ם נַפְשָׁ֥ם חָפֵֽצָה׃
He who slaughters the ox is as one who strikes a man, he who sacrifices the lamb as one who breaks a dog’s neck, he who offers a grain offering as one who offers swine’s blood, he who makes memorial of incense as one who blesses wickedness. Indeed, they have also chosen their own ways, and in their abominations their soul delights.
Morphology
- שֹׁוחֵ֨ט (shoḥet) – Root: שׁחט; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “he who slaughters”; Notes: Describes one performing a ritual slaughter.
- הַשֹּׁ֜ור (ha-shor) – Root: שור; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the ox”; Notes: Refers to a sacrificial animal.
- מַכֵּה־אִ֗ישׁ (makkeh-ish) – Root: נכה; Form: Hifil participle masculine singular + noun; Translation: “as one who strikes a man”; Notes: A violent or criminal act, indicating false worship.
- זֹובֵ֤חַ (zoveaḥ) – Root: זבח; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “he who sacrifices”; Notes: Refers to offering an animal sacrifice.
- הַשֶּׂה֙ (ha-seh) – Root: שה; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the lamb”; Notes: A clean animal for sacrifice.
- עֹ֣רֵֽף כֶּ֔לֶב (ʿoref kelev) – Root: ערף; Form: Qal participle masculine singular + noun; Translation: “as one who breaks a dog’s neck”; Notes: Violent, improper act of offering an unclean animal.
- מַעֲלֵ֤ה (maʿaleh) – Root: עלה; Form: Hifil participle masculine singular; Translation: “he who brings up”; Notes: Used for offering sacrifices or incense.
- מִנְחָה֙ (minḥah) – Root: מנח; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a grain offering”; Notes: Refers to a non-blood offering.
- דַּם־חֲזִ֔יר (dam-ḥazir) – Root: חזיר; Form: Construct noun masculine singular + noun; Translation: “swine’s blood”; Notes: Abominable in Torah law.
- מַזְכִּ֥יר (mazkir) – Root: זכר; Form: Hifil participle masculine singular; Translation: “he who makes memorial”; Notes: Refers to invoking YHWH by incense offering.
- לְבֹנָ֖ה (levonah) – Root: לבנ; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “incense”; Notes: Symbolic of prayer or memorial in temple rites.
- מְבָ֣רֵֽךְ (mevarekh) – Root: ברך; Form: Piel participle masculine singular; Translation: “he who blesses”; Notes: Used ironically here.
- אָ֑וֶן (ʾawen) – Root: און; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “wickedness”; Notes: Often used of idolatrous sin or deceitful behavior.
- גַּם־הֵ֗מָּה (gam-hemah) – Root: המה; Form: Emphatic particle + pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “indeed, they also”; Notes: Introduces judgment by emphasizing collective guilt.
- בָּֽחֲרוּ֙ (baḥaru) – Root: בחר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “have chosen”; Notes: Indicates a settled moral decision.
- בְּדַרְכֵיהֶ֔ם (be-darkheihem) – Root: דרך; Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural construct + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “in their ways”; Notes: Refers to their chosen moral paths.
- וּבְשִׁקּוּצֵיהֶ֖ם (u-ve-shiqquṭseihem) – Root: שׁקץ; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine plural with 3rd person plural suffix; Translation: “and in their abominations”; Notes: Refers to detestable practices, likely idolatry.
- נַפְשָׁ֥ם (nafsham) – Root: נפש; Form: Noun feminine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their soul”; Notes: The seat of desire and will.
- חָפֵֽצָה (ḥafeṭsah) – Root: חפץ; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “has delighted”; Notes: Indicates deep inward preference and desire.