עַל־כֵּן֙ יְזַבֵּ֣חַ לְחֶרְמֹ֔ו וִֽיקַטֵּ֖ר לְמִכְמַרְתֹּ֑ו כִּ֤י בָהֵ֨מָּה֙ שָׁמֵ֣ן חֶלְקֹ֔ו וּמַאֲכָלֹ֖ו בְּרִאָֽה׃
Therefore he sacrifices to his net, and he burns incense to his dragnet, for by them his portion is fat and his food is rich.
Morphology
- עַל־כֵּן (ʿal-ken) – Root: כן (ken); Form: Preposition עַל + adverb; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Introduces the consequence of his successful exploitation.
- יְזַבֵּחַ (yezabbeaḥ) – Root: זבח (zavach); Form: Piel imperfect 3ms; Translation: “he sacrifices”; Notes: Piel intensifies: offering worship with sacrificial rites.
- לְחֶרְמֹו (le-ḥermo) – Root: חרם (ḥerem); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “to his net”; Notes: Personifies his net as an object of idolatrous devotion.
- וִיקַטֵּר (vi-yaqatter) – Root: קטר (qatar); Form: Conjunction + Piel imperfect 3ms; Translation: “and he burns incense”; Notes: Piel emphasizes ritual burning of incense, an act of worship.
- לְמִכְמַרְתֹּו (le-mikhmarto) – Root: כמר (kamar); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “to his dragnet”; Notes: Reinforces the theme of worshipping tools of oppression.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the explanation for his idolatrous behavior.
- בָהֵמָּה (va-hemah) – Root: המה (hamah); Form: Preposition בְּ (assimilated) + pronoun 3fp OR alternative vocalization pointing to an idiomatic form; Translation: “by them”; Notes: Refers to the nets/tools mentioned earlier which provide him abundance. (Masoretic pointing is unusual; context determines meaning.)
- שָׁמֵן (shamen) – Root: שׁמן (shaman); Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “fat”; Notes: Conveys prosperity and abundance.
- חֶלְקֹו (ḥelqo) – Root: חלק (ḥalaq); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “his portion”; Notes: Refers to his gains or spoils.
- וּמַאֲכָלֹו (u-maʾakhalo) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “and his food”; Notes: Parallels “his portion,” highlighting abundance.
- בְּרִאָה (beriʾah) – Root: ברא (baraʾ); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “rich”; Notes: Suggests well-fattened, plentiful food; conveys luxury derived from oppression.