כִּֽי־הִרְבָּ֥ה אֶפְרַ֛יִם מִזְבְּחֹ֖ת לַחֲטֹ֑א הָיוּ־לֹ֥ו מִזְבְּחֹ֖ות לַחֲטֹֽא׃
For Efrayim has multiplied altars for sinning; they have become for him altars for sinning.
Morphology
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for” or “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for divine judgment — Ephrayim’s idolatry.
- הִרְבָּה (hirbah) – Root: רבה (ravah); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has multiplied”; Notes: Causative — Ephrayim has increased or caused many altars to be built.
- אֶפְרַיִם (Ephrayim) – Root: אפרים (Ephrayim); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Ephrayim”; Notes: Represents the northern kingdom of Yisraʾel, symbol of apostasy and idolatry.
- מִזְבְּחֹות (mizbeḥot) – Root: מזבח (mizbeaḥ); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “altars”; Notes: Refers to the cultic structures erected for worship — here, used for sin rather than devotion.
- לַחֲטֹא (la-ḥatoʾ) – Root: חטא (ḥataʾ); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “for sinning”; Notes: Expresses purpose — the altars were used not for worship of YHWH but for transgression.
- הָיוּ (hayu) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have become”; Notes: Describes the result — their proliferation has turned into a source of sin.
- לֹו (lo) – Root: ל (lamed); Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 3ms; Translation: “for him”; Notes: Refers to Ephrayim — the altars became his instruments of corruption.
- מִזְבְּחֹות (mizbeḥot) – Root: מזבח (mizbeaḥ); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “altars”; Notes: Repetition adds poetic emphasis — the very objects intended for worship become symbols of guilt.
- לַחֲטֹא (la-ḥatoʾ) – Root: חטא (ḥataʾ); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “for sinning”; Notes: Repeated phrase underscores irony — every act of supposed worship leads to sin.