חָלַ֥ק לִבָּ֖ם עַתָּ֣ה יֶאְשָׁ֑מוּ ה֚וּא יַעֲרֹ֣ף מִזְבְּחֹותָ֔ם יְשֹׁדֵ֖ד מַצֵּבֹותָֽם׃
Their heart is divided; now they shall be found guilty. He shall break down their altars; He shall destroy their pillars.
Morphology
- חָלַק (ḥalaq) – Root: חלק (ḥalaq); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “is divided”; Notes: Describes duplicity or inner inconsistency—Yisraʾel’s heart is split between YHWH and idols, symbolizing covenantal unfaithfulness.
- לִבָּם (libbam) – Root: לבב (levav); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3mp; Translation: “their heart”; Notes: Refers to their inner being, the seat of thought and loyalty—here indicating spiritual deceit.
- עַתָּה (ʿattah) – Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Adverb of time; Translation: “now”; Notes: Marks the imminent arrival of divine judgment for their hypocrisy.
- יֶאְשָׁמוּ (yeʾshamu) – Root: אשם (ʾasham); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall be guilty”; Notes: Legal terminology indicating condemnation in YHWH’s covenant court.
- הוּא (hu) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “He”; Notes: Refers to YHWH, the subject of the coming verbs of destruction.
- יַעֲרֹף (yaʿarof) – Root: ערף (ʿaraf); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He shall break down” or “cut off”; Notes: A violent term—describes YHWH’s decisive act of destroying idolatrous structures.
- מִזְבְּחֹותָם (mizbeḥotam) – Root: מזבח (mizbeaḥ); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 3mp; Translation: “their altars”; Notes: Refers to places of idolatrous sacrifice; YHWH will personally dismantle them.
- יְשֹׁדֵד (yeshoded) – Root: שׁדד (shadad); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He shall destroy”; Notes: Conveys total devastation—YHWH’s judgment targeting visible symbols of idolatry.
- מַצֵּבֹותָם (matsevotam) – Root: נצב (natsav); Form: Noun feminine plural + suffix 3mp; Translation: “their pillars”; Notes: Stone monuments used in pagan worship; their destruction signifies the end of Yisraʾel’s false religion.