Jeremiah 2:11

הַהֵימִ֥יר גֹּוי֙ אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהֵ֖מָּה לֹ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְעַמִּ֛י הֵמִ֥יר כְּבֹודֹ֖ו בְּלֹ֥וא יֹועִֽיל׃

Has a nation exchanged gods, even though they are not gods? But My people have exchanged their glory for that which does not profit.

Morphology

1. הַהֵימִ֥יר (ha-heymir) – Root: המר; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular with interrogative prefix; Translation: “Has [he] exchanged?”; Notes: Interrogative form introducing a rhetorical question; Hifil denotes causative action.
2. גֹּוי֙ (goy) – Root: גוי; Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a nation”; Notes: Common term for a people group or nation.
3. אֱלֹהִ֔ים (ʾElohim) – Root: אלוה; Form: Noun, masculine plural (intensive or majestic plural); Translation: “gods” or “God”; Notes: Here likely refers to false gods or idols.
4. וְהֵ֖מָּה (ve-hemmah) – Root: הם; Form: Independent pronoun, 3rd person masculine plural with vav; Translation: “and they”; Notes: Subject of the next clause.
5. לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Used to negate the verb that follows.
6. אֱלֹהִ֑ים (ʾElohim) – Root: אלוה; Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “gods”; Notes: Repeated for contrast—these are not true deities.
7. וְעַמִּ֛י (ve-ʿammi) – Root: עם; Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “but My people”; Notes: Possessive: “My people.”
8. הֵמִ֥יר (hemir) – Root: המר; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has exchanged”; Notes: Same root and stem as earlier verb.
9. כְּבֹודֹ֖ו (kevodó) – Root: כבד; Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his glory”; Notes: Likely a reference to YHWH Himself.
10. בְּלֹ֥וא (belo) – Root: בלא; Form: Preposition with negative infinitive construct; Translation: “for that which does not”; Notes: Precedes the negated verb to form a compound idea.
11. יֹועִֽיל (yoʿil) – Root: יעל; Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “profit”; Notes: Emphasizes the uselessness of what was chosen in place of YHWH.