Hosea 4:10

וְאָֽכְלוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א יִשְׂבָּ֔עוּ הִזְנ֖וּ וְלֹ֣א יִפְרֹ֑צוּ כִּֽי־אֶת־יְהוָ֥ה עָזְב֖וּ לִשְׁמֹֽר׃

And they shall eat but not be satisfied; they have committed whoredom but shall not multiply, for they have forsaken YHWH to keep watch.

Morphology

1. וְאָכְלוּ (veʾakhelu) – Root: אכל (ʾ-k-l); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3mp; Translation: “and they shall eat”; Notes: Perfect used with prophetic sense; depicts habitual or ongoing consumption reflecting greed or idolatrous feasting.
2. וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Connects the clause adversatively — despite abundance, satisfaction is withheld as divine retribution.
3. יִשְׂבָּעוּ (yisbaʿu) – Root: שׂבע (ś-b-ʿ); Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they shall be satisfied”; Notes: Describes an unfulfilled hunger. A curse motif signifying divine judgment — material plenty without contentment.
4. הִזְנ֖וּ (hiznu) – Root: זנה (z-n-h); Form: Hiphil perfect 3mp; Translation: “they have committed whoredom”; Notes: The Hiphil stem emphasizes intentionality — they deliberately gave themselves to harlotry, both literal and spiritual (idolatry).
5. וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “but not”; Notes: Continues the parallel negation, reinforcing divine frustration of natural blessing.
6. יִפְרֹצוּ (yifretsu) – Root: פרץ (p-r-ts); Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they shall multiply” or “they shall increase”; Notes: Often denotes physical or numerical increase. Here it is negated — fertility and growth are withheld due to moral corruption.
7. כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces causal clause explaining divine judgment.
8. אֶת־יְהוָה (ʾet-YHWH) – Root: —; Form: Direct object marker + divine proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Emphasizes the direct object of abandonment — the covenant Lord Himself. The אֶת marks direct transgression against God, not merely against His law.
9. עָזְבוּ (ʿazvu) – Root: עזב (ʿ-z-b); Form: Qal perfect 3mp; Translation: “they have forsaken”; Notes: Expresses total desertion. The verb is covenantal, signifying apostasy — abandonment of YHWH’s covenantal fidelity for idols.
10. לִשְׁמֹר (lishmor) – Root: שׁמר (š-m-r); Form: Preposition לְ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to keep” or “to watch”; Notes: Possibly ironic — they “keep watch” not for YHWH but for idols or ritual prostitution. It highlights the misdirection of devotion and moral vigilance.