עֲמַדְתֶּ֤ם עַֽל־חַרְבְּכֶם֙ עֲשִׂיתֶ֣ן תֹּועֵבָ֔ה וְאִ֛ישׁ אֶת־אֵ֥שֶׁת רֵעֵ֖הוּ טִמֵּאתֶ֑ם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ תִּירָֽשׁוּ׃ ס
You stand upon your swords, you commit abominations, and each man defiles the wife of his neighbor, and shall you possess the land?”’
Morphology
- עֲמַדְתֶּם (ʿamadtem) – Root: עמד (ʿamad); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you stood / you stand”; Notes: Indicates persistent or defiant stance—used metaphorically here for violent self-assertion or rebellion against divine law.
- עַל־חַרְבְּכֶם (ʿal-ḥarbekhem) – Root: חרב (ḥerev); Form: Preposition עַל + noun feminine singular construct + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “upon your swords”; Notes: Implies living by violence or depending on the sword—symbol of oppression and lawlessness.
- עֲשִׂיתֶן (ʿasiten) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you have done / you commit”; Notes: Indicates habitual wicked acts that have defiled the people morally and spiritually.
- תֹּועֵבָה (toʿevah) – Root: תעב (taʿav); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “abomination”; Notes: Denotes detestable acts, often referring to idolatry or sexual immorality condemned by YHWH.
- וְאִישׁ (ve-ʾish) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and each man”; Notes: Introduces the personal moral offense that follows—emphasizing individual responsibility.
- אֶת־אֵשֶׁת (et-ʾeshet) – Root: אשׁה (ʾishah); Form: Direct object marker אֶת + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “the wife of”; Notes: Introduces the object of defilement—adultery as a social and covenantal violation.
- רֵעֵהוּ (reʿehu) – Root: רע (reaʿ); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “his neighbor”; Notes: Common biblical expression for one’s fellow Israelite—adultery against one’s neighbor symbolizes covenant betrayal.
- טִמֵּאתֶם (timmeʾtem) – Root: טמא (ṭamaʾ); Form: Piel perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you have defiled”; Notes: The Piel stem intensifies the act—ritual and moral pollution caused by adultery and violence.
- וְהָאָרֶץ (ve-ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Conjunction וְ + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “and the land”; Notes: Refers to the Promised Land, which according to covenant theology becomes defiled by sin and violence.
- תִּירָשׁוּ (tiraʾshu) – Root: ירשׁ (yarash); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you will possess”; Notes: Used rhetorically: “Shall you possess the land?”—expresses divine irony. The sinful cannot inherit the sacred land defiled by their own actions.