Ezekiel 23:38

וּֽבְשַׁחֲטָ֤ם אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶם֙ לְגִלּ֣וּלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיָּבֹ֧אוּ אֶל־מִקְדָּשִׁ֛י בַּיֹּ֥ום הַה֖וּא לְחַלְּלֹ֑ו וְהִנֵּה־כֹ֥ה עָשׂ֖וּ בְּתֹ֥וךְ בֵּיתִֽי׃

And when they slaughtered their sons for their idols, they came into my sanctuary on that day to profane it, and behold, thus they did in the midst of my house.

Morphology

1. וּבְשַׁחֲטָם (u-vehshaḥatām) – Root: שׁחט (shaḥat); Form: Conjunction + preposition ב + infinitive construct with 3rd masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and when they slaughtered”; Notes: Refers to ritual killing, here tragically of their sons.
2. אֶת־ (ʾet) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Object marker; Translation: [no direct translation]; Notes: Marks the definite direct object.
3. בְּנֵיהֶם (benēhem) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 3rd masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their sons”; Notes: Refers to children sacrificed.
4. לְגִלּוּלֵיהֶם (le-gillūlehem) – Root: גלל (galal); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural construct + 3rd masculine plural suffix; Translation: “for their idols”; Notes: Derogatory term for idols, associated with uncleanness.
5. וַיָּבֹאוּ (va-yāvoʾu) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd masculine plural; Translation: “and they came”; Notes: Sequential action after slaughtering.
6. אֶל־ (ʾel) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition; Translation: “into”; Notes: Directional preposition, denoting entrance.
7. מִקְדָּשִׁי (mikdashī) – Root: קדשׁ (qadash); Form: Noun masculine singular + 1st common singular suffix; Translation: “my sanctuary”; Notes: YHWH’s holy temple, desecrated by idolatrous worshippers.
8. בַּיֹּום (ba-yōm) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Preposition ב + noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “on the day”; Notes: Specifies the very time of their hypocrisy.
9. הַהוּא (ha-hūʾ) – Root: הוא (huʾ); Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “that”; Notes: Refers to the specific day of sacrifice and defilement.
10. לְחַלְּלוֹ (le-ḥallelō) – Root: חלל (ḥalal); Form: Preposition ל + Piel infinitive construct + 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to profane it”; Notes: The “it” refers to the sanctuary of YHWH.
11. וְהִנֵּה (ve-hinnēh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection; Translation: “and behold”; Notes: Introduces an emphatic statement of outrage.
12. כֹה (koh) – Root: כה (koh); Form: Adverb; Translation: “thus”; Notes: Indicates the manner of their deeds.
13. עָשׂוּ (ʿāśū) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd masculine plural; Translation: “they did”; Notes: Refers to their abominable actions.
14. בְּתוֹךְ (be-tōkh) – Root: תוך (tokh); Form: Preposition; Translation: “in the midst of”; Notes: Spatial preposition emphasizing desecration within the temple itself.
15. בֵּיתִי (bētī) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Noun masculine singular + 1st common singular suffix; Translation: “my house”; Notes: YHWH’s temple in Jerusalem, profaned by idolatrous actions.