Hosea 5:5

וְעָנָ֥ה גְאֹֽון־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּפָנָ֑יו וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל וְאֶפְרַ֗יִם יִכָּֽשְׁלוּ֙ בַּעֲוֹנָ֔ם כָּשַׁ֥ל גַּם־יְהוּדָ֖ה עִמָּֽם׃

The pride of Yisraʾel testifies to his face, and Yisraʾel and Efrayim stumble in their iniquity; Yehuda also has stumbled with them.

Morphology

1. וְעָנָה (veʿanah) – Root: ענה (ʿ-n-h); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “and has testified” or “and answers”; Notes: In this idiom, means “testifies” or “bears witness,” implying the nation’s pride exposes its guilt.
2. גְאֹון־יִשְׂרָאֵל (geʾon-Yisraʾel) – Root: גאה (g-ʾ-h); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “the pride of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to Yisraʾel’s arrogance or self-exaltation, often in contrast to humble dependence on YHWH.
3. בְּפָנָיו (befanav) – Root: פנה (p-n-h); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine plural (dual in form) + pronominal suffix 3ms; Translation: “before his face” or “in his presence”; Notes: Indicates open, visible guilt—YHWH sees their pride directly.
4. וְיִשְׂרָאֵל (veYisraʾel) – Root: שׂרה (ś-r-h) + אל (ʾ-l); Form: Conjunction + proper noun; Translation: “and Yisraʾel”; Notes: The nation as a whole, emphasizing collective responsibility.
5. וְאֶפְרַיִם (veʾEfrayim) – Root: אפר (ʾ-p-r); Form: Conjunction + proper noun; Translation: “and Ephrayim”; Notes: Ephrayim often represents the northern kingdom as its dominant tribe.
6. יִכָּשְׁלוּ (yikkashlu) – Root: כשׁל (k-sh-l); Form: Nifal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they shall stumble” or “they will fall”; Notes: The Nifal denotes passive failure or downfall, usually moral or spiritual in prophetic contexts.
7. בַּעֲוֹנָם (baʿavonam) – Root: עון (ʿ-w-n); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular + pronominal suffix 3mp; Translation: “in their iniquity”; Notes: “Avon” signifies guilt or perverse wrongdoing; indicates cause of their fall.
8. כָּשַׁל (kashal) – Root: כשׁל (k-sh-l); Form: Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “has stumbled”; Notes: Past event parallel to the northern kingdom’s failure; used metaphorically of moral collapse.
9. גַּם (gam) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “also”; Notes: Adds inclusion—Yehudah shares in the same guilt and downfall.
10. יְהוּדָה (Yehudah) – Root: ידה (y-d-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: Represents the southern kingdom; its inclusion marks total national corruption.
11. עִמָּם (ʿimmam) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Preposition עִם + pronominal suffix 3mp; Translation: “with them”; Notes: Conveys shared fate; Yehudah’s downfall occurs alongside that of Ephrayim and Yisraʾel.