אַנְשֵׁ֥י רָכִ֛יל הָ֥יוּ בָ֖ךְ לְמַ֣עַן שְׁפָךְ־דָּ֑ם וְאֶל־הֶֽהָרִים֙ אָ֣כְלוּ בָ֔ךְ זִמָּ֖ה עָשׂ֥וּ בְתֹוכֵֽךְ׃
Men of slander were in you for the sake of shedding blood, and upon the mountains they ate in you; lewdness they have done in your midst.
Morphology
- אַנְשֵׁי (ʾanshei) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “men of”; Notes: Construct form indicating possession or association.
- רָכִיל (rakhil) – Root: רכל (rakhal); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “slander / tale-bearing”; Notes: Refers to gossip, malicious slander, or trade in rumors.
- הָיוּ (hayu) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “they were”; Notes: States the existence of such men within the city.
- בָךְ (bakh) – Root: ב; Form: Preposition בְ + second person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in you”; Notes: Refers to the city, Jerusalem.
- לְמַעַן (lemaʿan) – Root: מען (maʿan); Form: Preposition; Translation: “for the sake of”; Notes: Expresses purpose or intent.
- שְׁפָךְ (shefakh) – Root: שׁפך (shafakh); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “shedding”; Notes: Refers to the act of bloodshed.
- דָּם (dam) – Root: דם (dam); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “blood”; Notes: Symbol of violence and guilt.
- וְאֶל־הֶהָרִים (ve-el-he-harim) – Root: הר (har); Form: Conjunction + preposition אֶל + definite plural noun masculine; Translation: “and upon the mountains”; Notes: Allusion to idolatrous high places where sacrifices and meals occurred.
- אָכְלוּ (ʾakhelu) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “they ate”; Notes: Likely refers to ritual meals associated with idol worship.
- בָךְ (bakh) – Root: ב; Form: Preposition בְ + second person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in you”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes Jerusalem as the site of the sins.
- זִמָּה (zimmah) – Root: זמם (zamam); Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “lewdness”; Notes: Refers to immoral or illicit behavior, often with sexual connotations.
- עָשׂוּ (ʿasu) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “they have done”; Notes: Refers to the practice of shameful acts.
- בְתֹוכֵךְ (be-tokhekh) – Root: תוך (tokh); Form: Preposition בְ + noun masculine singular + 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in your midst”; Notes: Once again emphasizes Jerusalem as the locus of abominations.