וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲדֹנָ֗י יַ֚עַן כִּ֤י נִגַּשׁ֙ הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה בְּפִ֤יו וּבִשְׂפָתָיו֙ כִּבְּד֔וּנִי וְלִבֹּ֖ו רִחַ֣ק מִמֶּ֑נִּי וַתְּהִ֤י יִרְאָתָם֙ אֹתִ֔י מִצְוַ֥ת אֲנָשִׁ֖ים מְלֻמָּדָֽה׃
And the Lord said, “Because this people draws near with its mouth and with its lips they honor Me, but its heart is far from Me, and their fear of Me is a commandment of men learned by rote.
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And He said”; Notes: Introduces YHWH’s direct speech.
- אֲדֹנָ֗י (Adonai) – Root: אדן; Form: Noun masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix (divine title); Translation: “the Lord”; Notes: Refers reverently to YHWH.
- יַ֚עַן (yaʿan) – Root: יען; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “Because”; Notes: Introduces a causal clause explaining divine judgment.
- כִּ֤י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the content of the reason.
- נִגַּשׁ֙ (nigash) – Root: נגשׁ; Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has drawn near”; Notes: Passive-reflexive form indicating approach in pretense.
- הָעָ֣ם (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Yisraʾel.
- הַזֶּ֔ה (ha-zeh) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Emphatic reference to those in question.
- בְּפִ֤יו (be-fiv) – Root: פה; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “with its mouth”; Notes: External verbal expression.
- וּבִשְׂפָתָיו֙ (u-vi-sfatav) – Root: שׂפה; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun feminine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and with its lips”; Notes: Parallel to “mouth,” emphasizes insincerity.
- כִּבְּד֔וּנִי (kibbeduni) – Root: כבד; Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine plural + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “they have honored Me”; Notes: Intense form implying external show of respect.
- וְלִבֹּ֖ו (ve-libbo) – Root: לב; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “but its heart”; Notes: Contrasts inner reality with outer form.
- רִחַ֣ק (riḥaq) – Root: רחק; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “is far”; Notes: Indicates emotional and spiritual distance.
- מִמֶּ֑נִּי (mimmenni) – Root: מן; Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix with nun-epenthetic form; Translation: “from Me”; Notes: Personal rejection of YHWH.
- וַתְּהִ֤י (va-tehi) – Root: היה; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and it became”; Notes: Refers to the result of false devotion.
- יִרְאָתָם֙ (yirʾatam) – Root: ירא; Form: Noun feminine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their fear”; Notes: Refers to religious reverence or awe.
- אֹתִ֔י (oti) – Root: את; Form: Definite direct object marker + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “of Me”; Notes: Object of their misguided fear.
- מִצְוַ֥ת (mitsvat) – Root: צוה; Form: Construct noun feminine singular; Translation: “a commandment of”; Notes: Refers to human-devised precepts.
- אֲנָשִׁ֖ים (anashim) – Root: אנשׁ; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “men”; Notes: Contrasts divine commandments with human teachings.
- מְלֻמָּדָֽה (melummadah) – Root: למד; Form: Pual participle feminine singular; Translation: “learned by rote”; Notes: Denotes mechanical repetition lacking understanding.