כֻּלָּם֙ מְנָ֣אֲפִ֔ים כְּמֹ֣ו תַנּ֔וּר בֹּעֵ֖רָה מֵֽאֹפֶ֑ה יִשְׁבֹּ֣ות מֵעִ֔יר מִלּ֥וּשׁ בָּצֵ֖ק עַד־חֻמְצָתֹֽו׃
All of them are adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker; he ceases from stirring after kneading the dough until its leavening.
Morphology
- כֻּלָּם (kullam) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + suffix 3mp; Translation: “all of them”; Notes: Collective expression referring to the entire people.
- מְנָאֲפִים (menaʾafim) – Root: נאף (naʾaf); Form: Piel participle masculine plural; Translation: “adulterers”; Notes: Describes moral and spiritual unfaithfulness toward YHWH.
- כְּמֹו (ke-mo) – Root: כמו (kemo); Form: Preposition כְּ + particle of comparison; Translation: “like”; Notes: Introduces a simile comparing the people to a heated oven.
- תַנּוּר (tannur) – Root: תנר (tannur); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “oven”; Notes: Symbol of burning lust or uncontrolled passion.
- בֹּעֵרָה (boʿerah) – Root: בער (baʿar); Form: Qal participle feminine singular; Translation: “heated” or “burning”; Notes: Refers to continuous inflamed heat, paralleling passion or sin.
- מֵאֹפֶה (meʾofeh) – Root: אפה (afah); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular; Translation: “by the baker”; Notes: Indicates the agent responsible for stoking or tending the oven.
- יִשְׁבֹּות (yishbot) – Root: שׁבת (shavat); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he ceases”; Notes: Denotes the baker’s temporary rest from stirring the fire.
- מֵעִיר (meʿir) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Preposition מִן + infinitive construct; Translation: “from stirring”; Notes: Indicates cessation of activity — the baker no longer stirs the flames.
- מִלּוּשׁ (milush) – Root: לושׁ (lush); Form: Preposition מִן + infinitive construct; Translation: “after kneading”; Notes: Refers to the completion of dough preparation.
- בָּצֵק (batseq) – Root: בצק (batseq); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “dough”; Notes: Represents the raw material waiting to rise, a metaphor for sin fermenting in secret.
- עַד־חֻמְצָתֹו (ʿad-ḥumtsato) – Root: חמץ (ḥamats); Form: Preposition עַד + noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “until its leavening”; Notes: Describes the waiting period until the dough ferments — symbolizing sin’s full maturity.