הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים לֹ֤א אָֽמְרוּ֙ אַיֵּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה וְתֹפְשֵׂ֤י הַתֹּורָה֙ לֹ֣א יְדָע֔וּנִי וְהָרֹעִ֖ים פָּ֣שְׁעוּ בִ֑י וְהַנְּבִיאִים֙ נִבְּא֣וּ בַבַּ֔עַל וְאַחֲרֵ֥י לֹֽא־יֹועִ֖לוּ הָלָֽכוּ׃
The priests did not say, ‘Where is YHWH?’ and the handlers of the Torah did not know Me. And the shepherds rebelled against Me, and the prophets prophesied by Baʿal and walked after things that do not profit.
Morphology
- הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים (ha-kohanim) – Root: כהן; Form: Noun, masculine plural, definite; Translation: “the priests”; Notes: Religious leaders responsible for worship.
- לֹ֤א אָֽמְרוּ֙ (lo ʾameru) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural with negative particle; Translation: “did not say”; Notes: Indicates failure of religious questioning.
- אַיֵּ֣ה (ayyeh) – Root: אי; Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “Where is?”; Notes: A cry for divine presence, notably absent here.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: היה; Form: Proper Name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name, subject of inquiry that was neglected.
- וְתֹפְשֵׂ֤י (ve-tofse) – Root: תפשׂ; Form: Participle, masculine plural, construct; Translation: “and the handlers of”; Notes: Those who are supposed to be experts in Torah.
- הַתֹּורָה֙ (ha-torah) – Root: ירה; Form: Noun, feminine singular, definite; Translation: “the Torah”; Notes: Refers to divine instruction or law.
- לֹ֣א יְדָע֔וּנִי (lo yedaʿuni) – Root: ידע; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “did not know Me”; Notes: Expresses lack of relationship or recognition of YHWH.
- וְהָרֹעִ֖ים (ve-ha-roʿim) – Root: רעה; Form: Noun, masculine plural, definite; Translation: “and the shepherds”; Notes: Figurative for rulers or leaders.
- פָּ֣שְׁעוּ (pashʿu) – Root: פשע; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “rebelled”; Notes: Rebellion against divine authority.
- בִ֑י (bi) – Root: ב; Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “against Me”; Notes: The object of their rebellion is YHWH.
- וְהַנְּבִיאִים֙ (ve-ha-neviʾim) – Root: נבא; Form: Noun, masculine plural, definite; Translation: “and the prophets”; Notes: Supposed to speak the words of YHWH.
- נִבְּא֣וּ (nibbeʾu) – Root: נבא; Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they prophesied”; Notes: Used in a derogatory sense, false prophecy implied.
- בַבַּ֔עַל (ba-baʿal) – Root: בעל; Form: Noun, masculine singular, definite; Translation: “by Baʿal”; Notes: Reference to the Canaanite deity, opposed to YHWH.
- וְאַחֲרֵ֥י (ve-aḥarei) – Root: אחר; Form: Preposition; Translation: “and after”; Notes: Marks the object of pursuit or imitation.
- לֹֽא־יֹועִ֖לוּ (lo-yoʿilu) – Root: יעל; Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “that do not profit”; Notes: Futile or worthless things.
- הָלָֽכוּ (halakhu) – Root: הלך; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they walked”; Notes: Expresses habitual pursuit.