מָֽה־הֹועִ֣יל פֶּ֗סֶל כִּ֤י פְסָלֹו֙ יֹֽצְרֹ֔ו מַסֵּכָ֖ה וּמֹ֣ורֶה שָּׁ֑קֶר כִּ֣י בָטַ֞ח יֹצֵ֤ר יִצְרֹו֙ עָלָ֔יו לַעֲשֹׂ֖ות אֱלִילִ֥ים אִלְּמִֽים׃ ס
“What profit is an idol, that its maker has carved it, a molten image and a teacher of falsehood? For its maker trusts in his own creation, to make mute idols.
Morphology
- מָה (mah) – Root: מה (mah); Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “what?”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question.
- הֹועִיל (hoʿil) – Root: ילל (yaʿal); Form: Hifil perfect 3ms; Translation: “has profited”; Notes: Refers to benefit or usefulness.
- פֶּסֶל (pesel) – Root: פסל (pasal); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “idol”; Notes: Carved, graven image.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Gives the grounds for the rhetorical question.
- פְסָלֹו (pesalo) – Root: פסל (pasal); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “his carving”; Notes: The object he has shaped.
- יֹצְרֹו (yotsro) – Root: יצר (yatsar); Form: Qal participle masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “its maker”; Notes: The one who forms the idol.
- מַסֵּכָה (massekhah) – Root: נסך (nasakh); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “molten image”; Notes: Refers to cast-metal idols.
- וּמֹרֶה (u-moreh) – Root: ירה (yarah); Form: Conjunction + Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “and a teacher”; Notes: Ironically called a “teacher.”
- שָּׁקֶר (sheqer) – Root: שׁקר (shaqar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “falsehood”; Notes: The idol teaches lies.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Gives reason for the idol-maker’s folly.
- בָטַח (bataḥ) – Root: בטח (bataḥ); Form: Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “he has trusted”; Notes: Marks misplaced confidence.
- יֹצֵר (yotser) – Root: יצר (yatsar); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “the maker”; Notes: Highlights the absurdity of trusting one’s own workmanship.
- יִצְרֹו (yitsro) – Root: יצר (yatsar); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “his creation”; Notes: The thing formed by his own hands.
- עָלָיו (ʿalav) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition עַל + suffix 3ms; Translation: “upon it”; Notes: Directing his trust toward the idol.
- לַעֲשֹׂות (laʿasot) – Root: עשׂה (ʿasah); Form: Preposition לְ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to make”; Notes: Purpose clause.
- אֱלִילִים (elilim) – Root: אלל (ʾalal); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “idols”; Notes: Often implies powerless or empty gods.
- אִלְּמִים (illmim) – Root: אלם (ʾalam); Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “mute”; Notes: Emphasizes their inability to speak or respond.