הָעָ֗ם הַמַּכְעִיסִ֥ים אֹותִ֛י עַל־פָּנַ֖י תָּמִ֑יד זֹֽבְחִים֙ בַּגַּנֹּ֔ות וּֽמְקַטְּרִ֖ים עַל־הַלְּבֵנִֽים׃
The people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in the gardens and burning incense upon the bricks;
Morphology
- הָעָ֗ם (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Subject of the clause; refers to Yisraʾel or a rebellious segment thereof.
- הַמַּכְעִיסִ֥ים (ha-makʿisim) – Root: כעס (kaʿas); Form: Hiphil active participle masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “who provoke”; Notes: Causative stem indicating deliberate provocation of YHWH.
- אֹותִ֛י (oti) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “me”; Notes: Object of provocation; YHWH speaks directly here.
- עַל־פָּנַ֖י (ʿal-panai) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to my face”; Notes: Suggests blatant defiance and open offense.
- תָּמִ֑יד (tamid) – Root: תמיד (tamid); Form: Adverb; Translation: “continually”; Notes: Emphasizes ongoing rebellion.
- זֹֽבְחִים֙ (zovḥim) – Root: זבח (zavaḥ); Form: Qal active participle masculine plural; Translation: “sacrificing”; Notes: Describes forbidden worship practices.
- בַּגַּנֹּ֔ות (ba-gannot) – Root: גן (gan); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “in the gardens”; Notes: Gardens were commonly used in idolatrous worship contrary to YHWH’s prescribed place of sacrifice.
- וּֽמְקַטְּרִ֖ים (u-meqatterim) – Root: קטר (qatar); Form: Piel active participle masculine plural with conjunction; Translation: “and burning incense”; Notes: Denotes ritual activity often linked to idolatry.
- עַל־הַלְּבֵנִֽים (ʿal-ha-levenim) – Root: לבן (lavan); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “upon the bricks”; Notes: Possibly refers to makeshift altars or pagan altars made of bricks rather than stone as required by Torah (Exodus 20:25).