הֹ֣וי גֹּ֣וי חֹטֵ֗א עַ֚ם כֶּ֣בֶד עָוֹ֔ן זֶ֣רַע מְרֵעִ֔ים בָּנִ֖ים מַשְׁחִיתִ֑ים עָזְב֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה נִֽאֲצ֛וּ אֶת־קְדֹ֥ושׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נָזֹ֥רוּ אָחֹֽור׃
Woe, sinful nation, a people heavy with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who corrupt! They have forsaken YHWH, they have despised the Holy One of Yisraʾel, they have turned backward.
Morphology
- הֹוי (hoy) – Root: הוי; Form: Interjection; Translation: “Woe”; Notes: A prophetic cry of lament or denunciation.
- גֹּוי (goy) – Root: גוי; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “nation”; Notes: Often used for peoples or nations, here referring to Yisraʾel in a rebuking tone.
- חֹטֵא (ḥoteʾ) – Root: חטא; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “sinning” or “sinful”; Notes: Qualifies the nation as persistently sinful.
- עַם (ʿam) – Root: עם; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “people”; Notes: A general term for a collective group or nation.
- כֶּבֶד (keved) – Root: כבד; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “heavy”; Notes: Used metaphorically to denote being burdened with sin.
- עָוֹן (ʿavon) – Root: עון; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “iniquity”; Notes: Refers to deep moral corruption or guilt.
- זֶרַע (zeraʿ) – Root: זרע; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “offspring”; Notes: Often implies lineage or descendants; here, wicked offspring.
- מְרֵעִים (mereʿim) – Root: רעע; Form: Hifil participle masculine plural; Translation: “evildoers”; Notes: Denotes active participation in evil behavior.
- בָּנִים (banim) – Root: בן; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “children”; Notes: Repetition of family imagery to emphasize betrayal.
- מַשְׁחִיתִים (mashḥitim) – Root: שחת; Form: Hifil participle masculine plural; Translation: “corrupting” or “who corrupt”; Notes: Conveys moral and spiritual ruin.
- עָזְבוּ (ʿazvu) – Root: עזב; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have forsaken”; Notes: Strong term for abandonment of covenantal loyalty.
- אֶת־יְהוָה (et-YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The object of betrayal.
- נִאֲצוּ (niʾatsu) – Root: נאץ; Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have despised”; Notes: Conveys utter rejection or contempt.
- אֶת־קְדֹושׁ (et-qedosh) – Root: קדש; Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “the Holy One of”; Notes: Used for God’s sacred identity.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: In construct relationship with “Holy One.”
- נָזֹרוּ (nazoru) – Root: זור; Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have turned away”; Notes: Indicates deliberate alienation or estrangement.
- אָחֹור (aḥor) – Root: אחור; Form: Adverb; Translation: “backward”; Notes: Emphasizes turning away from YHWH instead of drawing near.