כִּי־נִמְצְא֥וּ בְעַמִּ֖י רְשָׁעִ֑ים יָשׁוּר֙ כְּשַׁ֣ךְ יְקוּשִׁ֔ים הִצִּ֥יבוּ מַשְׁחִ֖ית אֲנָשִׁ֥ים יִלְכֹּֽדוּ׃
For among My people are found wicked men; he watches like one who lies in wait with snares, they set a trap; men they catch.
Morphology
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces a causal explanation or reason.
- נִמְצְאוּ (nimtseʾu) – Root: מצא; Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “are found”; Notes: Passive voice indicating existence or discovery.
- בְעַמִּי (be-ʿammi) – Root: עם; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular with 1cs suffix; Translation: “among My people”; Notes: Emphasizes the internal corruption within YHWH’s people.
- רְשָׁעִים (reshaʿim) – Root: רשע; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “wicked men”; Notes: Characterized by moral corruption and injustice.
- יָשׁוּר (yashur) – Root: שור; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he watches”; Notes: Depicts a figure lying in wait or lurking.
- כְּשַׁךְ (ke-shaḥ) – Root: שׁוך or שׁך; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like one who lies in wait”; Notes: A hunter or predator metaphor, possibly rare or poetic term.
- יְקוּשִׁים (yequshim) – Root: יקשׁ; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “snares”; Notes: Traps used for capturing prey, here metaphorical.
- הִצִּיבוּ (hitsivu) – Root: נצב; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they set”; Notes: Describes deliberate placement of a destructive trap.
- מַשְׁחִית (mashḥit) – Root: שׁחת; Form: Hifil participle masculine singular; Translation: “a destroyer” or “a trap”; Notes: A device or agent causing ruin.
- אֲנָשִׁים (ʾanashim) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “men”; Notes: General term for human beings, here victims.
- יִלְכֹּדוּ (yilkedu) – Root: לכד; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they catch”; Notes: Concludes the metaphor of hunting, showing the wicked’s intent to ensnare others.