Isaiah 8:14

וְהָיָ֖ה לְמִקְדָּ֑שׁ וּלְאֶ֣בֶן נֶ֠גֶף וּלְצ֨וּר מִכְשֹׁ֜ול לִשְׁנֵ֨י בָתֵּ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְפַ֣ח וּלְמֹוקֵ֔שׁ לְיֹושֵׁ֖ב יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

And He shall be for a sanctuary, and for a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both houses of Yisraʾel, for a snare and for a trap to the inhabitant of Yerushalayim.

Morphology

1. וְהָיָ֖ה (ve-hayah) – Root: היה (haya); Form: Qal perfect with vav-consecutive, 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And He shall be”; Notes: Refers to YHWH from the previous verse, describing His dual role.
2. לְמִקְדָּ֑שׁ (le-miqdash) – Root: קדש (qadash); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “for a sanctuary”; Notes: A place of holiness for the faithful who revere Him.
3. וּלְאֶ֣בֶן (u-leʾeven) – Root: אבן (ʾeven); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and for a stone”; Notes: Begins the imagery of stumbling for the disobedient.
4. נֶ֠גֶף (negef) – Root: נגף (nagaf); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “of stumbling”; Notes: Something struck against, causing spiritual or moral failure.
5. וּלְצ֨וּר (u-letsur) – Root: צור (tsur); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and for a rock”; Notes: Parallel to the stone, continuing the metaphor of danger.
6. מִכְשֹׁ֜ול (mikhshol) – Root: כשׁל (kashal); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “of offense” or “of stumbling”; Notes: An obstacle causing one to fall.
7. לִשְׁנֵ֨י (li-shenei) – Root: שנים (shenayim); Form: Preposition + dual construct form; Translation: “to two”; Notes: Refers to a pair, introducing the two houses of Yisraʾel.
8. בָתֵּ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (batei Yisraʾel) – Root: בית (bayit), ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Construct noun plural + proper noun; Translation: “houses of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the kingdoms of Yehudah and Yisraʾel together.
9. לְפַ֣ח (le-faḥ) – Root: פח (paḥ); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “for a snare”; Notes: A trap laid for birds or animals—metaphor for entrapment.
10. וּלְמֹוקֵ֔שׁ (u-lemoqesh) – Root: יקש (yaqash); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and for a trap”; Notes: Similar to “snare,” emphasizes danger to the unwary.
11. לְיֹושֵׁ֖ב (le-yoshev) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Preposition + participle masculine singular; Translation: “to the inhabitant”; Notes: A generic term for residents, here of Yerushalayim.
12. יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם (Yerushalayim) – Root: ירושלם (Yerushalayim); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yerushalayim”; Notes: The capital of Yehudah, symbolic of the spiritual center.