הַזָּלִ֤ים זָהָב֙ מִכִּ֔יס וְכֶ֖סֶף בַּקָּנֶ֣ה יִשְׁקֹ֑לוּ יִשְׂכְּר֤וּ צֹורֵף֙ וְיַעֲשֵׂ֣הוּ אֵ֔ל יִסְגְּד֖וּ אַף־יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ׃
Those who pour out gold from the bag and weigh silver in the balance, they hire a smith, and he makes it a god; they bow down, they even prostrate themselves.
Morphology
- הַזָּלִים (ha-zalim) – Root: זלל; Form: Hifil participle masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “those who pour out”; Notes: Describes the act of lavishly pouring out precious metal.
- זָהָב (zahav) – Root: זהב; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “gold”; Notes: Object of the pouring action.
- מִכִּיס (mi-kis) – Root: כיס; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “from the bag”; Notes: Indicates the source of the gold.
- וְכֶסֶף (ve-kesef) – Root: כסף; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and silver”; Notes: Coordinated with the gold, also part of the idolatrous process.
- בַּקָּנֶה (ba-qaneh) – Root: קנה; Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the balance”; Notes: Refers to a measuring rod or scale used for weighing.
- יִשְׁקֹלוּ (yishqolu) – Root: שקל; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they weigh”; Notes: Continuing the act of preparing materials for idol-making.
- יִשְׂכְּרוּ (yiskəru) – Root: שכר; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they hire”; Notes: Refers to contracting the artisan for idol construction.
- צֹורֵף (tsoref) – Root: צרף; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “a smith”; Notes: A metalworker who crafts the idol.
- וְיַעֲשֵׂהוּ (ve-yaʿasehu) – Root: עשה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and he makes it”; Notes: The smith forms the idol from the weighed metals.
- אֵל (ʾel) – Root: אל; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a god”; Notes: Ironically denotes the product of human hands as a deity.
- יִסְגְּדוּ (yisggədu) – Root: סגד; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they bow down”; Notes: Common verb for paying reverence or worship.
- אַף (af) – Root: –; Form: Adverb/conjunction; Translation: “even”; Notes: Intensifies the following action as a step beyond bowing.
- יִשְׁתַּחֲווּ (yishtakhavu) – Root: שחה; Form: Hishtaphel imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they prostrate themselves”; Notes: Deep act of submission or worship before the idol.