חֶמְאָ֥ה וּדְבַ֖שׁ יֹאכֵ֑ל לְדַעְתֹּ֛ו מָאֹ֥וס בָּרָ֖ע וּבָחֹ֥ור בַּטֹּֽוב׃
Curds and honey he shall eat, to know to refuse the evil and choose the good.
Morphology
- חֶמְאָ֥ה (ḥemʾah) – Root: חמאה (ḥemʾah); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “curds”; Notes: A dairy product indicating abundance or simplicity of diet.
- וּדְבַ֖שׁ (u-devash) – Root: דבש (devash); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and honey”; Notes: Sign of blessing or pastoral sustenance.
- יֹאכֵ֑ל (yoʾkhel) – Root: אכל (ʾakal); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he shall eat”; Notes: Refers to the child foretold in the previous verse.
- לְדַעְתֹּ֛ו (le-daʿto) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to know”; Notes: Refers to the developmental stage of moral awareness.
- מָאֹ֥וס (maʾos) – Root: מאס (maʾas); Form: Qal infinitive construct used as noun; Translation: “refusing”; Notes: The act of rejecting or despising.
- בָּרָ֖ע (ba-raʿ) – Root: רעע (raʿ); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the evil”; Notes: Moral or ethical wrong.
- וּבָחֹ֥ור (u-vaḥor) – Root: בחר (baḥar); Form: Conjunction + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “and choosing”; Notes: Parallels “refusing” to form a moral contrast.
- בַּטֹּֽוב (ba-tov) – Root: טוב (tov); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the good”; Notes: Moral good or what is pleasing to YHWH.