לְעֶגְלֹות֙ בֵּ֣ית אָ֔וֶן יָג֖וּרוּ שְׁכַ֣ן שֹֽׁמְרֹ֑ון כִּי־אָבַ֨ל עָלָ֜יו עַמֹּ֗ו וּכְמָרָיו֙ עָלָ֣יו יָגִ֔ילוּ עַל־כְּבֹודֹ֖ו כִּֽי־גָלָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
The inhabitants of Shomeron shall fear for the calves of Beth Awen; indeed, its people shall mourn over it, and its priests shall wail for it, over its glory, because it has departed from it.
Morphology
- לְעֶגְלֹות (le-ʿeglot) – Root: עגל (ʿegel); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine plural; Translation: “for the calves”; Notes: Refers to the golden calves used in idolatrous worship in the northern kingdom, especially at Beth-Awen (Bethel).
- בֵּית אָוֶן (Beit Awen) – Root: און (ʾaven); Form: Construct of proper noun; Translation: “Beth-Awen”; Notes: A prophetic wordplay on Bethel (“House of God”), renamed “House of Iniquity” to emphasize its corruption.
- יָגוּרוּ (yaguru) – Root: גור (gur); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall fear” or “they shall tremble”; Notes: Expresses anxiety or dread for the loss of the idol in which they trusted.
- שְׁכַן (shekhan) – Root: שׁכן (shakhan); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “inhabitant”; Notes: Refers collectively to the residents—especially idolaters—of Shomeron.
- שֹׁמְרֹון (Shomeron) – Root: שׁמר (shamar); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Shomeron” (Samaria); Notes: The capital of the northern kingdom of Yisraʾel; often personified as representative of the nation’s idolatry.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for” or “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for their fear—loss and exile.
- אָבַל (aval) – Root: אבל (ʾaval); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has mourned”; Notes: Expresses lamentation—grieving for the lost idol or its destruction.
- עָלָיו (ʿalav) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition עַל + suffix 3ms; Translation: “over it”; Notes: Indicates the object of mourning—the idol of Beth-Awen.
- עַמֹּו (ammo) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “its people”; Notes: Refers to the nation or worshippers of the idol—those who trusted in it for blessing.
- וּכְמָרָיו (u-kemarav) – Root: כמר (kamar); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine plural + suffix 3ms; Translation: “and its priests”; Notes: The idolatrous priests who officiated in the cult of the calves—now mourning their downfall.
- עָלָיו (ʿalav) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition עַל + suffix 3ms; Translation: “for it” or “over it”; Notes: Repetition adds emphasis—public lamentation for the destroyed idol.
- יָגִילוּ (yagilu) – Root: גיל (gil); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall wail” or “rejoice” (contextually: “wail” ironically); Notes: Expresses an emotional response of distress and mourning—grief over the idol’s loss.
- עַל־כְּבֹודֹו (ʿal-kevodo) – Root: כבד (kaved); Form: Preposition עַל + noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “over its glory”; Notes: “Glory” refers to the idol itself—once regarded as divine splendor, now humiliated.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces the cause of mourning—loss of the idol’s “glory.”
- גָלָה (galah) – Root: גלה (galah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has departed” or “has gone into exile”; Notes: Symbolic of both the idol’s destruction and Yisraʾel’s own impending exile.
- מִמֶּנּוּ (mimmennu) – Root: מן (min); Form: Preposition מִן + suffix 3ms; Translation: “from it”; Notes: Indicates separation—divine presence or perceived “glory” removed from the land and its people.