Isaiah 65:5

הָאֹֽמְרִים֙ קְרַ֣ב אֵלֶ֔יךָ אַל־תִּגַּשׁ־בִּ֖י כִּ֣י קְדַשְׁתִּ֑יךָ אֵ֚לֶּה עָשָׁ֣ן בְּאַפִּ֔י אֵ֥שׁ יֹקֶ֖דֶת כָּל־הַיֹּֽום׃

Those who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am holier than you!” These are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day.

Morphology

1. הָאֹֽמְרִים (ha-ʾomrim) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal active participle masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “those who say”; Notes: Introduces the arrogant speech of those who deem themselves ritually superior.
2. קְרַ֣ב (qerav) – Root: קרב (qarav); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Come near”; Notes: A command, ironic or hypocritical in tone.
3. אֵלֶ֔יךָ (eilekha) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Directs the speech toward another, possibly sarcastically.
4. אַל־תִּגַּשׁ־בִּ֖י (ʾal-tiggaš-bi) – Root: נגשׁ (nagaš); Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular with preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “Do not come near me”; Notes: Expresses repulsion and religious arrogance.
5. כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces a reason or justification.
6. קְדַשְׁתִּ֑יךָ (qedashtekha) – Root: קדשׁ (qadash); Form: Piel perfect 1st person singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “I have sanctified you” or “I am holier than you”; Notes: May reflect a reflexive or sarcastic self-declaration of holiness.
7. אֵ֚לֶּה (ʾelleh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun plural; Translation: “These”; Notes: Refers back to the self-righteous group.
8. עָשָׁ֣ן (ʿashan) – Root: עשׁן (ʿashan); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “smoke”; Notes: Symbol of irritation or offense.
9. בְּאַפִּ֔י (be-api) – Root: אף (ʾaf); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “in my nostrils”; Notes: Describes how offensive their actions are to YHWH.
10. אֵ֥שׁ (ʾesh) – Root: אשׁ (ʾesh); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a fire”; Notes: Symbol of consuming anger or judgment.
11. יֹקֶ֖דֶת (yokedet) – Root: יקד (yaqad); Form: Qal active participle feminine singular; Translation: “burning”; Notes: Continuous aspect, showing the enduring nature of divine wrath.
12. כָּל־הַיֹּֽום (kol-ha-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Construct noun + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “all the day”; Notes: Indicates the unceasing nature of YHWH’s anger toward this hypocrisy.