אַל־תִּשְׂמַ֨ח יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל אֶל־גִּיל֙ כָּֽעַמִּ֔ים כִּ֥י זָנִ֖יתָ מֵעַ֣ל אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ אָהַ֣בְתָּ אֶתְנָ֔ן עַ֖ל כָּל־גָּרְנֹ֥ות דָּגָֽן׃
Do not rejoice, Yisraʾel, with joy like the nations, for you have played the harlot, departing from your God; you have loved a harlot’s payment upon every threshing floor of grain.
Morphology
- אַל (ʾal) – Root: אל (ʾal); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “do not”; Notes: Used for prohibitions — expressing divine command not to rejoice.
- תִּשְׂמַח (tismaḥ) – Root: שׂמח (samach); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you shall rejoice”; Notes: Here negated — YHWH forbids Yisraʾel’s false rejoicing over material prosperity or pagan festivals.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the northern kingdom, condemned for spiritual infidelity and idolatry.
- אֶל (ʾel) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition; Translation: “with” or “like”; Notes: Here functions comparably — “do not rejoice as” or “with” the nations.
- גִּיל (gil) – Root: גיל (gil); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “joy” or “rejoicing”; Notes: Refers to festive or celebratory joy — that of pagan nations in their idolatry.
- כָּעַמִּים (ka-ʿammim) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Preposition כְּ + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “like the nations”; Notes: Denotes comparison — Yisraʾel is not to imitate pagan worship or celebrations.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for” or “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the prohibition — Yisraʾel’s spiritual adultery.
- זָנִיתָ (zanita) – Root: זנה (zanah); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you have played the harlot”; Notes: Metaphor for idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness.
- מֵעַל (me-ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition מִן + עַל; Translation: “departing from” or “away from”; Notes: Indicates separation — Yisraʾel turned away from its covenantal relationship with YHWH.
- אֱלֹהֶיךָ (ʾeloheykha) – Root: אלהים (ʾelohim); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 2ms; Translation: “your God”; Notes: The covenantal God YHWH, betrayed by His people’s spiritual infidelity.
- אָהַבְתָּ (ʾahavta) – Root: אהב (ʾahav); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you have loved”; Notes: Indicates willful affection — Yisraʾel’s deliberate attraction to idolatrous reward.
- אֶתְנָן (ʾetnan) – Root: אתנן (ʾetnan); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a harlot’s payment”; Notes: Symbol of idolatrous gain or material benefit from pagan practices.
- עַל (ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition; Translation: “upon”; Notes: Indicates location — the “threshing floors” symbolize prosperity gained through idolatrous acts.
- כָּל (kol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “every”; Notes: Denotes totality — no threshing floor was free from corruption.
- גָּרְנֹות (garnot) – Root: גרן (goren); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “threshing floors”; Notes: Symbol of agricultural abundance — perverted by idolatry and greed.
- דָּגָן (dagan) – Root: דגן (dagan); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “grain”; Notes: Represents sustenance and blessing — corrupted by Yisraʾel’s use of it for idolatrous celebration.