בְּבֵית֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל רָאִ֖יתִי שַׂעֲרִירִיָּ֑ה שָׁ֚ם זְנ֣וּת לְאֶפְרַ֔יִם נִטְמָ֖א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
In the house of Yisraʾel I have seen a horrible thing; there is harlotry in Efrayim, Yisraʾel is defiled.
Morphology
- בְּבֵית (be-beit) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “in the house of”; Notes: Introduces the location of the abomination—among the covenant people themselves.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers collectively to the northern kingdom, representing the covenant community of YHWH.
- רָאִיתִי (raʾiti) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I have seen”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s direct observation of the nation’s sin—divine witness to moral corruption.
- שַׂעֲרִירִיָּה (saʿaririyyah) – Root: שער (shaʿar); Form: Noun feminine singular (rare form); Translation: “a horrible thing” or “an abomination”; Notes: Denotes something shocking or monstrous, reflecting moral revulsion at Yisraʾel’s sins.
- שָׁם (sham) – Root: שם (sham); Form: Adverb of place; Translation: “there”; Notes: Refers to the location where the abominable act occurs—within the land or the community of Yisraʾel.
- זְנוּת (zenut) – Root: זנה (zanah); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “harlotry”; Notes: Common prophetic metaphor for idolatry and covenant infidelity toward YHWH.
- לְאֶפְרַיִם (le-ʾEfrayim) – Root: אפרים (ʾEfrayim); Form: Preposition לְ + proper noun; Translation: “in Ephrayim” or “of Ephrayim”; Notes: Identifies the northern kingdom as the center of spiritual corruption.
- נִטְמָא (nitma) – Root: טמא (ṭamaʾ); Form: Niphal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “is defiled”; Notes: Passive form signifying ritual or moral contamination—Yisraʾel rendered impure by its idolatry.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: The repetition underscores national guilt—both the people and the land are implicated in the defilement.