לָכֵ֞ן אֱמֹ֣ר אֶל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה הַבְּדֶ֥רֶךְ אֲבֹֽותֵיכֶ֖ם אַתֶּ֣ם נִטְמְאִ֑ים וְאַחֲרֵ֥י שִׁקּוּצֵיהֶ֖ם אַתֶּ֥ם זֹנִֽים׃
Therefore say to the house of Yisraʾel, ‘Thus says the Lord YHWH: “In the way of your fathers you are defiling yourselves, and after their abominations you are playing the harlot.
Morphology
- לָכֵן (laken) – Form: Conjunction/adverb; Translation: “Therefore”; Notes: Introduces the divine response.
- אֱמֹר (ʾemor) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal imperative 2ms; Translation: “say”; Notes: Command to the prophet.
- אֶל־בֵּית (ʾel-beit) – Root: בית; Form: Preposition + construct noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the house of”; Notes: Refers to the people of Yisraʾel collectively.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: The covenant nation.
- כֹּה (koh) – Form: Adverb; Translation: “thus”; Notes: Standard prophetic formula.
- אָמַר (amar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “says”; Notes: Introduces divine speech.
- אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonai) – Root: אדן; Form: Noun plural of majesty; Translation: “Lord”; Notes: Title of divine authority.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper noun, Tetragrammaton; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of Israel’s God.
- הַבְּדֶרֶךְ (ha-bederekh) – Root: דרך; Form: Noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “in the way”; Notes: Refers to conduct or manner of life.
- אֲבֹותֵיכֶם (ʾavotekhem) – Root: אב; Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 2mp suffix; Translation: “your fathers”; Notes: Refers to the ancestors of Yisraʾel.
- אַתֶּם (ʾatem) – Root: אתם; Form: Independent pronoun 2mp; Translation: “you”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- נִטְמְאִים (nitmeʾim) – Root: טמא; Form: Niphal participle masculine plural; Translation: “defiling yourselves”; Notes: Indicates ritual and moral impurity.
- וְאַחֲרֵי (ve-aḥarei) – Root: אחר; Form: Preposition; Translation: “after”; Notes: Denotes pursuit or following.
- שִׁקּוּצֵיהֶם (shiqquseihem) – Root: שׁקץ; Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 3mp suffix; Translation: “their abominations”; Notes: Refers to idols and detestable practices.
- אַתֶּם (ʾatem) – Root: אתם; Form: Independent pronoun 2mp; Translation: “you”; Notes: Emphasizes the subject again.
- זֹנִים (zonim) – Root: זנה; Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “playing the harlot”; Notes: Figurative for spiritual adultery through idolatry.