וְאַתֶּ֛ם הֲרֵעֹתֶ֥ם לַעֲשֹׂ֖ות מֵאֲבֹֽותֵיכֶ֑ם וְהִנְּכֶ֣ם הֹלְכִ֗ים אִ֚ישׁ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ שְׁרִר֣וּת לִבֹּֽו־הָרָ֔ע לְבִלְתִּ֖י שְׁמֹ֥עַ אֵלָֽי׃
But you have done worse than your fathers, and behold, you are walking each man after the stubbornness of his evil heart, not to listen to Me.
Morphology
- וְאַתֶּ֛ם (ve-atem) – Root: אתם (ʾatem); Form: Conjunction וְ + independent pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “But you”; Notes: Introduces contrast between generations.
- הֲרֵעֹתֶ֥ם (hareʿotem) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Hiphil perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you have done worse”; Notes: Causative of “to be evil,” implying moral corruption beyond their fathers.
- לַעֲשֹׂ֖ות (laʿasot) – Root: עשׂה (ʿasah); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “to do”; Notes: Purpose or result of their evil actions.
- מֵאֲבֹֽותֵיכֶ֑ם (me-avoteikhem) – Root: אב (ʾav); Form: Preposition מִן + plural noun with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “than your fathers”; Notes: Comparative construction indicating moral decline.
- וְהִנְּכֶ֣ם (ve-hinnekhem) – Root: הֵן (hen); Form: Interjection הִנֵּה + pronoun suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and behold, you”; Notes: Introduces observable present action.
- הֹלְכִ֗ים (holekhim) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “are walking”; Notes: Describes ongoing or habitual behavior.
- אִ֚ישׁ (ʾish) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “each man”; Notes: Emphasizes individual responsibility.
- אַֽחֲרֵי֙ (aḥarei) – Root: אחר (ʾaḥar); Form: Preposition; Translation: “after”; Notes: Indicates pursuit or devotion to something.
- שְׁרִר֣וּת (sherirut) – Root: שרר (sharar); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “stubbornness”; Notes: Conveys obstinate self-will, often with negative moral judgment.
- לִבֹּֽו־ (libbo) – Root: לב (lev); Form: Noun masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his heart”; Notes: Refers to the seat of will or intent in biblical anthropology.
- הָרָ֔ע (haraʿ) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Definite adjective masculine singular; Translation: “the evil”; Notes: Qualifies the heart as morally corrupt.
- לְבִלְתִּ֖י (le-vilti) – Root: בל (bal); Form: Preposition לְ + negative infinitive particle; Translation: “so as not to”; Notes: Introduces a negative purpose or result clause.
- שְׁמֹ֥עַ (shemōaʿ) – Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “to listen”; Notes: Common term for obedience to divine command.
- אֵלָֽי׃ (elai) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to Me”; Notes: Refers to YHWH, concluding the indictment.