שֹׁ֥חַד לָֽקְחוּ־בָ֖ךְ לְמַ֣עַן שְׁפָךְ־דָּ֑ם נֶ֧שֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּ֣ית לָקַ֗חַתְּ וַתְּבַצְּעִ֤י רֵעַ֨יִךְ֙ בַּעֹ֔שֶׁק וְאֹתִ֣י שָׁכַ֔חַתְּ נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃
Bribe they have taken in you for the sake of shedding blood; interest and usury you have taken, and you have gained by oppression from your companions; and Me you have forgotten,” declares the Lord YHWH.
Morphology
- שֹׁחַד (shoḥad) – Root: שׁחד (shoḥad); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “bribe”; Notes: Payment given to pervert justice.
- לָקְחוּ (laqḥu) – Root: לקח (laqah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “they have taken”; Notes: Refers to leaders accepting bribes.
- בָךְ (bakh) – Root: ב; Form: Preposition בְ + second person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in you”; Notes: Refers to Jerusalem as the setting of corruption.
- לְמַעַן (lemaʿan) – Root: מען (maʿan); Form: Preposition; Translation: “for the sake of”; Notes: Expresses purpose, here linked to bloodshed.
- שְׁפָךְ (shefakh) – Root: שׁפך (shafakh); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “shedding”; Notes: Describes the act of bloodshed.
- דָּם (dam) – Root: דם (dam); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “blood”; Notes: Symbolizes violence and guilt.
- נֶשֶׁךְ (neshekh) – Root: נשׁך (nashakh); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “interest”; Notes: Prohibited excessive charge on loans.
- וְתַרְבִּית (ve-tarbit) – Root: רבה (ravah); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “and usury”; Notes: Another term for exploitative gain from loans.
- לָקַחַתְּ (laqakhat) – Root: לקח (laqah); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “you have taken”; Notes: Addressed directly to the city as feminine.
- וַתְּבַצְּעִי (va-tevatseʿi) – Root: בצע (batzaʿ); Form: Piel wayyiqtol (converted imperfect) 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “and you have gained / cut off”; Notes: Indicates unjust gain, extortion.
- רֵעַיִךְ (reʿayikh) – Root: רעע (reʿaʿ); Form: Noun masculine plural with 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “your companions”; Notes: Fellow members of society, exploited by oppression.
- בַּעֹשֶׁק (ba-ʿosheq) – Root: עשׁק (ʿashaq); Form: Preposition בְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “with oppression”; Notes: Exploitation, injustice, economic abuse.
- וְאֹתִי (ve-ʾoti) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Conjunction וְ + direct object marker with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and Me”; Notes: YHWH as the forgotten one.
- שָׁכַחַתְּ (shakhaḥat) – Root: שׁכח (shakhaḥ); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “you have forgotten”; Notes: Accusation of neglecting covenant relationship with YHWH.
- נְאֻם (neʾum) – Root: נאם (naʾam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “utterance / declaration”; Notes: Technical prophetic formula introducing divine speech.
- אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun “lord” with 1st person singular suffix (plene spelling); Translation: “my Lord”; Notes: Title of divine authority.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of the God of Yisraʾel, paired with ʾAdonai.