הֲלֹ֥א יָדְעוּ֮ פֹּ֤עֲלֵ֫י אָ֥וֶן אֹכְלֵ֣י עַ֭מִּי אָ֣כְלוּ לֶ֑חֶם אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לֹ֣א קָרָֽאוּ׃
Do they not know, the doers of iniquity, eaters of My people? They eat bread. God they do not call upon.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | הֲלֹא | ha-lo | “do not?” | Interrogative particle הֲ + negative particle לֹא |
| 2 | יָדְעוּ | yadeʿu | “they know” | Qal perfect 3mp |
| 3 | פֹּעֲלֵי | poʿalei | “doers of” | Qal participle mp construct |
| 4 | אָוֶן | ʾaven | “iniquity” | N(ms) |
| 5 | אֹכְלֵי | ʾokhlei | “eaters of” | Qal participle mp construct |
| 6 | עַמִּי | ʿammi | “My people” | N(ms) + suff 1cs |
| 7 | אָכְלוּ | ʾakhlu | “they eat” | Qal perfect 3mp |
| 8 | לֶחֶם | leḥem | “bread” | N(ms) |
| 9 | אֱלֹהִים | ʾElohim | “God” | N(mp) |
| 10 | לֹא | lo | “not” | Negative particle |
| 11 | קָרָאוּ | qaraʾu | “they called” | Qal perfect 3mp |
Morphology
- הֲלֹא (ha-lo) – Root: —; Root Type: Particle (Strong); Form: Interrogative particle הֲ + negative particle; Translation: “do not?”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question expecting an affirmative sense, “Do they not know?”
- יָדְעוּ (yadeʿu) – Root: ידע (y-d-ʿ); Root Type: III-Guttural (ע); Binyan: Qal; Form: Perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they know”; Notes: Refers to moral awareness or recognition that the evildoers should possess.
- פֹּעֲלֵי (poʿalei) – Root: פעל (p-ʿ-l); Root Type: II-Guttural; Binyan: Qal; Form: Participle masculine plural construct (state: construct); Translation: “doers of”; Notes: Describes those characterized by habitual action, here linked to iniquity.
- אָוֶן (ʾaven) – Root: און (ʾ-w-n); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “iniquity”; Notes: Denotes wickedness, trouble, or morally perverse conduct.
- אֹכְלֵי (ʾokhlei) – Root: אכל (ʾ-k-l); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Binyan: Qal; Form: Participle masculine plural construct (state: construct); Translation: “eaters of”; Notes: A vivid metaphor for devouring or exploiting God’s people.
- עַמִּי (ʿammi) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Root Type: II-Guttural; Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “My people”; Notes: Refers to God’s covenant people as the victims of the wicked.
- אָכְלוּ (ʾakhlu) – Root: אכל (ʾ-k-l); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Binyan: Qal; Form: Perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they eat”; Notes: Continues the devouring imagery, likely describing their ordinary, untroubled consumption.
- לֶחֶם (leḥem) – Root: לחם (l-ḥ-m); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “bread”; Notes: The basic food image sharpens the contrast between ordinary eating and the devouring of God’s people.
- אֱלֹהִים (ʾElohim) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Form: Noun masculine plural (used as singular for God); Translation: “God”; Notes: The object whom they refuse to invoke, showing their practical godlessness.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: —; Root Type: Particle (Strong); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
- קָרָאוּ (qaraʾu) – Root: קרא (q-r-ʾ); Root Type: III-Guttural (א); Binyan: Qal; Form: Perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they called”; Notes: In context, “call upon” means invoking God in prayer or dependence, which they do not do.