קָרְא֖וּ לָהֶ֑ם כֵּ֚ן הָלְכ֣וּ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם לַבְּעָלִ֣ים יְזַבֵּ֔חוּ וְלַפְּסִלִ֖ים יְקַטֵּרֽוּן׃
They called to them, yet they went away from them; they sacrifice to the Baʿalim and burn incense to idols.
Morphology
- קָרְאוּ (qarʾu) – Root: קרא (qaraʾ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “They called”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s prophets calling Yisraʾel to repentance, yet their appeals were ignored.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 3mp; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the people of Yisraʾel being called by divine messengers.
- כֵּן (ken) – Root: כן (ken); Form: Adverb; Translation: “yet” or “thus”; Notes: Used here adversatively—indicating that despite divine calling, they turned away.
- הָלְכוּ (halekhu) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they went away”; Notes: Implies stubborn resistance—Yisraʾel walked away from their divine callers.
- מִפְּנֵיהֶם (mippeneihem) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine plural construct + suffix 3mp; Translation: “from before them”; Notes: Indicates withdrawal or avoidance—turning away from divine messengers sent by YHWH.
- לַבְּעָלִים (la-baʿalim) – Root: בעל (baʿal); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “to the Baʿalim”; Notes: Refers to the Canaanite deities worshiped by Yisraʾel, a chief sin condemned by the prophets.
- יְזַבֵּחוּ (yezabbeḥu) – Root: זבח (zavaḥ); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they sacrifice”; Notes: Intensive form highlights repeated or deliberate idolatrous practice of offering sacrifices to false gods.
- וְלַפְּסִלִים (ve-la-psilim) – Root: פסל (pesel); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition לְ + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “and to the idols”; Notes: Refers to carved images used in worship—direct violation of the covenant commandments.
- יְקַטֵּרוּן (yeqatṭerun) – Root: קטר (qatar); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine plural + nun energicum (emphatic ending); Translation: “they burn incense”; Notes: The intensified Piel form and emphatic ending stress their persistent devotion to idolatry and rebellion against YHWH.