הֶ֣בֶל הֵ֔מָּה מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה תַּעְתֻּעִ֑ים בְּעֵ֥ת פְּקֻדָּתָ֖ם יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃
They are vanity, a work of delusions; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.
Morphology
- הֶ֣בֶל (hevel) – Root: הבל (hevel); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “vanity”; Notes: Refers to worthlessness, emptiness, or futility—often used for idols.
- הֵ֔מָּה (hemmah) – Root: Pronoun; Form: Independent 3rd person masculine plural pronoun; Translation: “they”; Notes: Refers to the idols previously mentioned.
- מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה (maʿaseh) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “a work of”; Notes: Introduces what kind of work they are.
- תַּעְתֻּעִ֑ים (taʿtuʿim) – Root: תעע (taʿaʿ); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “delusions”; Notes: Indicates deception or misleading falsehoods, emphasizing the fraudulent nature of idols.
- בְּעֵ֥ת (be-ʿet) – Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “at the time of”; Notes: Introduces the temporal clause of judgment.
- פְּקֻדָּתָ֖ם (pequddatam) – Root: פקד (paqad); Form: Noun feminine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their punishment” / “their visitation”; Notes: Refers to the time of divine retribution.
- יֹאבֵֽדוּ (yoʾvedu) – Root: אבד (ʾavad); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall perish”; Notes: Declares the eventual destruction of the idols.