כֹּהֲנֶ֜יהָ חָמְס֣וּ תֹורָתִי֮ וַיְחַלְּל֣וּ קָדָשַׁי֒ בֵּֽין־קֹ֤דֶשׁ לְחֹל֙ לֹ֣א הִבְדִּ֔ילוּ וּבֵין־הַטָּמֵ֥א לְטָהֹ֖ור לֹ֣א הֹודִ֑יעוּ וּמִשַׁבְּתֹותַי֙ הֶעְלִ֣ימוּ עֵֽינֵיהֶ֔ם וָאֵחַ֖ל בְּתֹוכָֽם׃
Her priests have done violence to my law, and they profaned my holy things; between holy and common they did not distinguish, and between the unclean and the clean they did not make known; and from my sabbaths they hid their eyes, and I was profaned among them.
Morphology
- כֹּהֲנֶיהָ (kohaneha) – Root: כהן (kohen); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “her priests”; Notes: Refers to the priests of Yisraʾel acting corruptly.
- חָמְסוּ (ḥamsu) – Root: חמס (ḥamas); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they did violence”; Notes: Conveys abuse or perversion, here of YHWH’s law.
- תֹורָתִי (torati) – Root: תורה (torah); Form: Noun feminine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my law”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s instruction, Torah.
- וַיְחַלְּלוּ (va-yeḥallelū) – Root: חלל (ḥalal); Form: Piel wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they profaned”; Notes: Emphasizes desecration of what is holy.
- קָדָשַׁי (qadashai) – Root: קדשׁ (qadosh); Form: Noun masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my holy things”; Notes: Refers to items, offerings, or practices set apart for YHWH.
- בֵּין־קֹדֶשׁ (bein-qodesh) – Root: קדשׁ (qodesh); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “between holy”; Notes: Establishes contrast in ritual distinctions.
- לְחֹל (le-ḥol) – Root: חלל (ḥol); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “and common”; Notes: Refers to the non-sacred or ordinary.
- לֹא (lo) – Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denotes failure to act properly.
- הִבְדִּילוּ (hibdilu) – Root: בדל (badal); Form: Hiphil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they distinguished”; Notes: Priests failed to separate holy from common as required by Torah.
- וּבֵין־הַטָּמֵא (u-vein-ha-tame) – Root: טמא (ṭameʾ); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine singular absolute with article; Translation: “and between the unclean”; Notes: Part of required priestly instruction.
- לְטָהוֹר (le-tahor) – Root: טהר (ṭahar); Form: Preposition + adjective masculine singular absolute; Translation: “and the clean”; Notes: Opposite of “unclean,” ritual purity category.
- לֹא (lo) – Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Emphasizes their failure to fulfill teaching duty.
- הוֹדִיעוּ (hodiʿu) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Hiphil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they made known”; Notes: Priests failed to teach YHWH’s distinctions.
- וּמִשַׁבְּתֹותַי (u-mishabbetotai) – Root: שׁבת (shabbat); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine plural construct + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and from my sabbaths”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s appointed rest days.
- הֶעְלִימוּ (heʿlimu) – Root: עלם (ʿalam); Form: Hiphil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they hid”; Notes: They deliberately ignored the sabbaths.
- עֵינֵיהֶם (ʿeinehem) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun feminine dual + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their eyes”; Notes: Metaphor for willful blindness.
- וָאֵחַל (va-eḥal) – Root: חלל (ḥalal); Form: Niphal wayyiqtol 1st person singular; Translation: “and I was profaned”; Notes: YHWH Himself is profaned among the people because of priestly corruption.
- בְּתֹוכָם (be-tokham) – Root: תוך (tokh); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “among them”; Notes: Indicates profanation occurred within the community itself.