אָ֤ב וָאֵם֙ הֵקַ֣לּוּ בָ֔ךְ לַגֵּ֛ר עָשׂ֥וּ בַעֹ֖שֶׁק בְּתֹוכֵ֑ךְ יָתֹ֥ום וְאַלְמָנָ֖ה הֹ֥ונוּ בָֽךְ׃
Father and mother they have treated lightly in you; to the sojourner they have acted with oppression in your midst; the orphan and the widow they have wronged in you.
Morphology
- אָב (ʾav) – Root: אב (ʾav); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “father”; Notes: One of the objects of disrespect.
- וָאֵם (va-ʾem) – Root: אם (ʾem); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “and mother”; Notes: Joined with “father” as parental authority figures.
- הֵקַלּוּ (heqallu) – Root: קלל (qalal); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “they have treated lightly”; Notes: Conveys dishonor and contempt.
- בָךְ (bakh) – Root: ב; Form: Preposition בְ + second person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in you”; Notes: Refers to Jerusalem as the location of sin.
- לַגֵּר (la-ger) – Root: גור (gur); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the sojourner”; Notes: Refers to resident foreigners who are to be protected under Torah law.
- עָשׂוּ (ʿasu) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “they have acted / done”; Notes: Describes unjust actions toward the sojourner.
- בַעֹשֶׁק (va-ʿosheq) – Root: עשׁק (ʿashaq); Form: Preposition בְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “with oppression”; Notes: Indicates exploitation and injustice.
- בְּתֹוכֵךְ (be-tokhekh) – Root: תוך (tokh); Form: Preposition בְ + noun masculine singular + 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in your midst”; Notes: Again specifies Jerusalem as the place of wrongdoing.
- יָתֹום (yatom) – Root: יתם (yatom); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “orphan”; Notes: One of the most vulnerable groups in biblical society.
- וְאַלְמָנָה (ve-almanah) – Root: אלמן (ʾalman); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “and widow”; Notes: Another socially vulnerable figure, frequently protected in Torah law.
- הֹונוּ (honu) – Root: הנה (hon, “to oppress/wrong” in context); Form: Hiphil perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “they have wronged”; Notes: Strong term indicating mistreatment and abuse of the weak.
- בָךְ (bakh) – Root: ב; Form: Preposition בְ + second person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in you”; Notes: Once more indicates the guilt lies within Jerusalem herself.