וּבִשְׂאֵ֣ת מַתְּנֹֽתֵיכֶ֡ם בְּֽהַעֲבִיר֩ בְּנֵיכֶ֨ם בָּאֵ֜שׁ אַתֶּם֩ נִטְמְאִ֤֨ים לְכָל־גִּלּֽוּלֵיכֶם֙ עַד־הַיֹּ֔ום וַאֲנִ֛י אִדָּרֵ֥שׁ לָכֶ֖ם בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל חַי־אָ֗נִי נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה אִם־אִדָּרֵ֖שׁ לָכֶֽם׃
And in lifting up your gifts, in making your sons pass through the fire, you are defiling yourselves with all your idols until this day, and shall I be inquired of by you, house of Yisraʾel? As I live,” declares the Lord YHWH, “surely I will not be inquired of by you.
Morphology
- וּבִשְׂאֵת (u-viśʾet) – Root: נשא; Form: Conjunction + preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “and in lifting up”; Notes: Refers to presenting offerings or gifts.
- מַתְּנֹתֵיכֶם (mattenoteikhem) – Root: מתן; Form: Noun feminine plural construct + 2mp suffix; Translation: “your gifts”; Notes: Refers to cultic offerings.
- בְּהַעֲבִיר (be-haʿavir) – Root: עבר; Form: Preposition + Hiphil infinitive construct; Translation: “in causing to pass”; Notes: Refers to ritual child sacrifice.
- בְּנֵיכֶם (bneikhem) – Root: בן; Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 2mp suffix; Translation: “your sons”; Notes: Direct object of the verb “causing to pass.”
- בָּאֵשׁ (ba-ʾesh) – Root: אשׁ; Form: Noun feminine singular with preposition; Translation: “through the fire”; Notes: Technical phrase for Molekh worship.
- אַתֶּם (ʾatem) – Form: Independent pronoun 2mp; Translation: “you”; Notes: Emphatic subject.
- נִטְמְאִים (nitmeʾim) – Root: טמא; Form: Niphal participle masculine plural; Translation: “are defiling yourselves”; Notes: Indicates ongoing ritual and moral defilement.
- לְכָל־גִּלּוּלֵיכֶם (le-khol-gilluleikhem) – Root: גלל; Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural construct + 2mp suffix; Translation: “with all your idols”; Notes: Refers to abominable objects of worship.
- עַד־הַיֹּום (ʿad-ha-yom) – Root: יום; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular with article; Translation: “until this day”; Notes: Emphasizes continuity of sin.
- וַאֲנִי (va-ʾani) – Form: Conjunction + pronoun 1cs; Translation: “and I”; Notes: Marks contrast: YHWH’s response.
- אִדָּרֵשׁ (iddareish) – Root: דרשׁ; Form: Niphal imperfect 1cs; Translation: “shall I be inquired of”; Notes: Rhetorical question highlighting God’s refusal.
- לָכֶם (lakhem) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 2mp suffix; Translation: “by you”; Notes: Marks the inquiring subject.
- בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל (beit-Yisraʾel) – Root: בית, יִשְׂרָאֵל; Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “house of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the people as a whole.
- חַי־אָנִי (ḥay-ʾani) – Root: חי; Form: Adjective + pronoun 1cs; Translation: “As I live”; Notes: Divine oath formula.
- נְאֻם (neʾum) – Root: נאם; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “declaration”; Notes: Prophetic confirmation.
- אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonai) – Root: אדן; Form: Noun plural of majesty; Translation: “Lord”; Notes: Title of divine sovereignty.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper noun, Tetragrammaton; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of Israel’s God.
- אִם־אִדָּרֵשׁ (im-iddareish) – Root: דרשׁ; Form: Conditional particle + Niphal imperfect 1cs; Translation: “surely I will not be inquired of”; Notes: Emphatic oath of refusal.
- לָכֶם (lakhem) – Form: Preposition + 2mp suffix; Translation: “by you”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.