Hosea 5:4

לֹ֤א יִתְּנוּ֙ מַ֣עַלְלֵיהֶ֔ם לָשׁ֖וּב אֶל־אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם כִּ֣י ר֤וּחַ זְנוּנִים֙ בְּקִרְבָּ֔ם וְאֶת־יְהוָ֖ה לֹ֥א יָדָֽעוּ׃

Their deeds do not allow them to return to their God, for the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they do not know YHWH.

Morphology

1. לֹא (lo) – Root: —; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the main verb, emphasizing moral incapacity rather than simple unwillingness.
2. יִתְּנוּ (yitnu) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they give,” “they allow,” or “they yield”; Notes: Here conveys the sense “their actions do not permit”; emphasizes internal bondage to sin.
3. מַעַלְלֵיהֶם (maʿalleyhem) – Root: עלל (ʿ-l-l); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + pronominal suffix 3mp; Translation: “their deeds”; Notes: Refers to habitual behavior; often moral actions that define a person’s spiritual state.
4. לָשׁוּב (lashuv) – Root: שׁוב (sh-v-b); Form: Preposition לְ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to return”; Notes: Denotes repentance or turning back to covenant faithfulness; central theological term in Hosea.
5. אֶל־אֱלֹהֵיהֶם (el-ʾelohehem) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition אֶל + noun masculine plural construct + pronominal suffix 3mp; Translation: “to their God”; Notes: The plural form “ʾelohim” with singular sense highlights divine majesty.
6. כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for” or “because”; Notes: Introduces causal explanation for their moral paralysis.
7. רוּחַ (ruaḥ) – Root: רוח (r-w-ḥ); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “spirit”; Notes: May denote inner disposition or supernatural influence; here symbolic of moral corruption.
8. זְנוּנִים (zenunim) – Root: זנה (z-n-h); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “whoredom,” “harlotry”; Notes: Plural of intensity—signifies pervasive, systemic unfaithfulness to YHWH.
9. בְּקִרְבָּם (bekirbam) – Root: קרב (q-r-b); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular + pronominal suffix 3mp; Translation: “within them” or “in their midst”; Notes: Suggests internal moral corruption, not external temptation.
10. וְאֶת־יְהוָה (veʾet-YHWH) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction + particle of direct object + divine proper name; Translation: “and YHWH”; Notes: Introduces the direct object of the next clause, contrasting their intimacy with sin versus ignorance of YHWH.
11. לֹא (lo) – Root: —; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Repetition intensifies the description of spiritual blindness.
12. יָדָעוּ (yadaʿu) – Root: ידע (y-d-ʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3mp; Translation: “they knew”; Notes: “Knowing” in Hebrew implies relational intimacy; thus, “they did not know YHWH” means they lacked covenantal relationship, not mere intellectual awareness.