לֹֽא־אֶפְקֹ֨וד עַל־בְּנֹותֵיכֶ֜ם כִּ֣י תִזְנֶ֗ינָה וְעַל־כַּלֹּֽותֵיכֶם֙ כִּ֣י תְנָאַ֔פְנָה כִּי־הֵם֙ עִם־הַזֹּנֹ֣ות יְפָרֵ֔דוּ וְעִם־הַקְּדֵשֹׁ֖ות יְזַבֵּ֑חוּ וְעָ֥ם לֹֽא־יָבִ֖ין יִלָּבֵֽט׃
I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery; for they themselves go aside with the harlots, and they sacrifice with the consecrated prostitutes. Therefore, a people without understanding shall stumble.
Morphology
- לֹא־אֶפְקֹוד (lo-efqod) – Root: פקד (p-q-d); Form: Qal imperfect 1cs; Translation: “I will not punish” or “I will not visit [judgment upon]”; Notes: YHWH refrains from immediate punishment—not out of mercy, but as indictment of the entire community’s corruption.
- עַל־בְּנֹותֵיכֶם (ʿal-benotekhem) – Root: בת (b-t); Form: Preposition עַל + noun feminine plural + suffix 2mp; Translation: “upon your daughters”; Notes: Refers to the younger generation whose immorality reflects the elders’ hypocrisy.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for” or “because”; Notes: Introduces causal explanation—YHWH’s forbearance stems from systemic moral failure.
- תִזְנֶינָה (tiznenah) – Root: זנה (z-n-h); Form: Qal imperfect 3fp; Translation: “they commit whoredom”; Notes: The feminine plural form addresses collective behavior of Israel’s women, reflecting social decay born of male idolatry.
- וְעַל־כַּלֹּותֵיכֶם (ve-ʿal-kallotekhem) – Root: כלה (k-l-h); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition + noun feminine plural + suffix 2mp; Translation: “and upon your daughters-in-law”; Notes: Expands the charge to family-wide moral decline.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Reintroduces the rationale—men’s complicity nullifies selective condemnation.
- תְנָאַפְנָה (tenaʾafna) – Root: נאף (n-ʾ-p); Form: Qal imperfect 3fp; Translation: “they commit adultery”; Notes: Mirrors the spiritual unfaithfulness of Israel—both marital and covenantal infidelity.
- כִּי־הֵם (ki-hem) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction + independent pronoun 3mp; Translation: “for they [the men]”; Notes: Shifts focus to male guilt—the root cause of national depravity.
- עִם־הַזֹּנֹות (ʿim-hazzonot) – Root: זנה (z-n-h); Form: Preposition עִם + definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “with the harlots”; Notes: Refers to cult prostitutes connected with fertility rites at shrines.
- יְפָרֵדוּ (yefaredu) – Root: פרד (p-r-d); Form: Niphal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they separate themselves” or “they consort”; Notes: Reflexive nuance—men isolate themselves from YHWH by joining pagan practices.
- וְעִם־הַקְּדֵשֹׁות (ve-ʿim-hakdeshot) – Root: קדשׁ (q-d-š); Form: Conjunction + preposition + definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “and with the consecrated prostitutes”; Notes: “קדֵשָׁה” (qedeshah) was a temple prostitute dedicated to fertility gods—shows perversion of the sacred.
- יְזַבֵּחוּ (yezabbeḥu) – Root: זבח (z-b-ḥ); Form: Piel imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they sacrifice”; Notes: Continues idolatrous ritual practice; cultic lust entwined with sacrifice and feasting.
- וְעָם (veʿam) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and a people”; Notes: Introduces final observation—corporate folly.
- לֹא־יָבִין (lo-yavin) – Root: בין (b-y-n); Form: Qal imperfect 3ms + negative; Translation: “does not understand”; Notes: Ignorance here is moral blindness, not lack of intelligence—failure to discern holiness.
- יִלָּבֵט (yillavet) – Root: לבט (l-b-ṭ); Form: Niphal imperfect 3ms; Translation: “shall stumble” or “be overthrown”; Notes: Indicates the inevitable downfall of a people blinded by sensuality and devoid of spiritual discernment.