הַבָּנִ֞ים מְלַקְּטִ֣ים עֵצִ֗ים וְהָֽאָבֹות֙ מְבַעֲרִ֣ים אֶת־הָאֵ֔שׁ וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים לָשֹׁ֣ות בָּצֵ֑ק לַעֲשֹׂ֨ות כַּוָּנִ֜ים לִמְלֶ֣כֶת הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וְהַסֵּ֤ךְ נְסָכִים֙ לֵאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים לְמַ֖עַן הַכְעִסֵֽנִי׃
The sons gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes for the Queen of Heaven, and to pour out drink offerings to other gods, so as to provoke Me to anger.
Morphology
- הַבָּנִים (ha-banim) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Definite article + noun masculine plural; Translation: “the sons”; Notes: Subject of the participle “gathering.”
- מְלַקְּטִים (melakketim) – Root: לקט (laqat); Form: Piel participle masculine plural; Translation: “gathering”; Notes: Intensive form implies active collection, likely ritual preparation.
- עֵצִים (ʿetsim) – Root: עץ (ʿets); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “wood”; Notes: Object of the verb “gather.”
- וְהָאָבֹות (ve-haʾavot) – Root: אב (ʾav); Form: Conjunction + definite article + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and the fathers”; Notes: New subject for the next action.
- מְבַעֲרִים (mevaʿarim) – Root: בער (baʿar); Form: Piel participle masculine plural; Translation: “kindling”; Notes: Indicates intentional ignition, often of fire for sacrifice or cooking.
- אֶת־הָאֵשׁ (et-haʾesh) – Root: אשׁ (ʾesh); Form: Definite direct object marker + noun feminine singular; Translation: “the fire”; Notes: Object of “kindle.”
- וְהַנָּשִׁים (ve-ha-nashim) – Root: אשה (ʾishah); Form: Conjunction + definite article + noun feminine plural (irregular plural); Translation: “and the women”; Notes: Subject of the next participle.
- לָשֹׁות (lashot) – Root: לוש (lush); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to knead”; Notes: Purpose infinitive, indicating action in preparation for making cakes.
- בָּצֵק (batseq) – Root: בצק (batseq); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “dough”; Notes: Direct object of “to knead.”
- לַעֲשֹׂות (laʿasot) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Lamed prefix + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to make”; Notes: Infinitive of purpose for making cakes.
- כַּוָּנִים (kavvanim) – Root: כוה or כו”ן (contextually disputed root); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “cakes” (ritual cakes); Notes: Possibly shaped cakes for idol worship; word is rare.
- לִמְלֶכֶת (limlekhet) – Root: מלך (melek); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “for the Queen of”; Notes: Construct chain showing divine title of idol.
- הַשָּׁמַיִם (ha-shamayim) – Root: שמים (shamayim); Form: Definite noun masculine plural (plural of majesty); Translation: “the heavens”; Notes: Title of the goddess being worshipped, likely Ishtar/Astarte.
- וְהַסֵּךְ (ve-ha-sekh) – Root: נסך (nasakh); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the pouring (libation)”; Notes: Abstract noun referring to the act of pouring drink offerings.
- נְסָכִים (nesakhim) – Root: נסך (nasakh); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “drink offerings”; Notes: Plural noun in apposition to “pouring.”
- לֵאלֹהִים (le-ʾelohim) – Root: אלוה (ʾeloah); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural; Translation: “to gods”; Notes: Direct object of libation; reference to foreign gods.
- אֲחֵרִים (ʾakherim) – Root: אחר (ʾakher); Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “other”; Notes: Qualifies the “gods.”
- לְמַעַן (lemaʿan) – Root: מען (maʿan); Form: Preposition; Translation: “in order to”; Notes: Indicates purpose or result.
- הַכְעִסֵנִי (hakʿisenī) – Root: כעס (kaʿas); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “provoke Me to anger”; Notes: Causative binyan emphasizes deliberate provocation of YHWH.