וְיָבֹ֣ואוּ אֵ֠לֶיךָ כִּמְבֹוא־עָ֞ם וְיֵשְׁב֤וּ לְפָנֶ֨יךָ֙ עַמִּ֔י וְשָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ וְאֹותָ֖ם לֹ֣א יַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ כִּֽי־עֲגָבִ֤ים בְּפִיהֶם֙ הֵ֣מָּה עֹשִׂ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֥י בִצְעָ֖ם לִבָּ֥ם הֹלֵֽךְ׃
And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they will not do them, for with their mouth they show love, but after their gain their heart goes.
Morphology
- וְיָבֹאוּ (ve-yavoʾu) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they come / and they will come”; Notes: Describes the people’s outward approach to the prophet as if eager to hear divine instruction.
- אֵלֶיךָ (eleikha) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Refers to Yeḥezqel, emphasizing his role as the messenger of YHWH.
- כִּמְבֹוא־עָם (kimvoʾ-ʿam) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Preposition כְּ + infinitive construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “as the coming of a people”; Notes: Compares their approach to that of a crowd—curious but insincere.
- וְיֵשְׁבוּ (ve-yeshvu) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they sit”; Notes: Depicts the people taking respectful posture before the prophet, mimicking genuine worshipers.
- לְפָנֶיךָ (lefanekha) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Preposition לְ + noun plural construct + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “before you”; Notes: Signifies presence or audience with the prophet, similar to a worship setting.
- עַמִּי (ʿammi) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “My people”; Notes: YHWH’s possessive designation—underscores irony between outward loyalty and inward corruption.
- וְשָׁמְעוּ (ve-shamʿu) – Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they hear”; Notes: Indicates attentive listening, yet without obedient response.
- אֶת־דְּבָרֶיךָ (et-devareikha) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Direct object marker אֶת + noun masculine plural + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “your words”; Notes: Refers to Yeḥezqel’s prophetic utterances—the medium of YHWH’s message.
- וְאֹותָם (ve-otam) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Conjunction וְ + pronoun 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “but them”; Notes: Refers to the words—they hear them but do not act on them.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: —; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Expresses negation of obedience—mere listening without response.
- יַעֲשׂוּ (yaʿasu) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they will do”; Notes: The contrast between hearing and doing is central—outward religiosity without transformation.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for / because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for their disobedience.
- עֲגָבִים (ʿagavim) – Root: עגב (ʿagav); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “loves / affections”; Notes: Refers to sensual or superficial expressions of love—insincere flattery with the mouth.
- בְּפִיהֶם (be-fihem) – Root: פה (peh); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular construct + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “with their mouth”; Notes: Instrumental—outward lip-service rather than genuine obedience.
- הֵמָּה (hema) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “they”; Notes: Emphatic—contrasts their speech with their inner motives.
- עֹשִׂים (ʿosim) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “doing / acting”; Notes: Here, what they “do” contradicts their professed devotion.
- אַחֲרֵי (aḥarei) – Root: —; Form: Preposition; Translation: “after”; Notes: Indicates pursuit or following after something—used here of inner desires.
- בִצְעָם (bitsʿam) – Root: בצע (batsaʿ); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “their gain / profit”; Notes: Refers to greed or material self-interest driving their actions.
- לִבָּם (libbam) – Root: לבב (levav); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “their heart”; Notes: The seat of will and desire—diverted toward self-gain rather than devotion to YHWH.
- הֹלֵךְ (holekh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “goes”; Notes: Personifies the heart as actively following greed—shows moral direction and internal corruption.