וְעַמִּ֥י תְלוּאִ֖ים לִמְשֽׁוּבָתִ֑י וְאֶל־עַל֙ יִקְרָאֻ֔הוּ יַ֖חַד לֹ֥א יְרֹומֵם׃
And My people are bent on turning away from Me, and though they call to the Most High, none at all will exalt Him.
Morphology
- וְעַמִּי (ve-ʿammi) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular construct + suffix 1cs; Translation: “and My people”; Notes: Expresses YHWH’s covenantal relationship with Yisraʾel despite their disobedience—His possession and affection remain implicit even in judgment.
- תְלוּאִים (teluʾim) – Root: תלה (talah); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “are hung” or “are bent”; Notes: Literally “suspended,” implying instability or wavering; metaphorically depicts Yisraʾel’s vacillation between loyalty and apostasy.
- לִמְשׁוּבָתִי (limshuvati) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular + suffix 1cs; Translation: “to turning away from Me”; Notes: Denotes apostasy—YHWH laments their continual inclination toward rebellion, literally “to their turning back.”
- וְאֶל־עַל (ve-el-ʿal) – Root: אל (ʾel) + על (ʿal); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition אֶל + proper noun; Translation: “and to the Most High”; Notes: “ʿAl” is a divine epithet meaning “Most High,” expressing YHWH’s exalted nature. The people’s calling to Him is superficial and unrepentant.
- יִקְרָאֻהוּ (yiqraʾuhu) – Root: קרא (qaraʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural + suffix 3ms; Translation: “they call to Him”; Notes: Reflects outward religious appeal without sincerity—ritual invocation absent of true repentance.
- יַחַד (yaḥad) – Root: יחד (yaḥad); Form: Adverb; Translation: “together”; Notes: Suggests collective participation of the nation in false religiosity or their unified failure to respond genuinely to YHWH.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denies the following verb—introduces the futility of their collective response.
- יְרֹומֵם (yeromem) – Root: רום (rum); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “will exalt”; Notes: Refers to honoring or lifting up YHWH; the verse concludes that despite their outward appeals, no true exaltation of Him occurs.