כְּתֹ֨מֶר מִקְשָׁ֥ה הֵ֨מָּה֙ וְלֹ֣א יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ נָשֹׂ֥וא יִנָּשׂ֖וּא כִּ֣י לֹ֣א יִצְעָ֑דוּ אַל־תִּֽירְא֤וּ מֵהֶם֙ כִּי־לֹ֣א יָרֵ֔עוּ וְגַם־הֵיטֵ֖יב אֵ֥ין אֹותָֽם׃ ס
Like a palm tree they are stiffened, and they do not speak; they must be carried, for they do not walk. Do not fear them, for they do no harm, and also to do good is not in them.”
Morphology
- כְּתֹ֨מֶר (ke-tomer) – Root: תמר (tamar); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like a palm tree”; Notes: The idol is compared to a tall, rigid tree.
- מִקְשָׁ֥ה (miqshah) – Root: קשׁה (qashah); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a stiff image” / “a cast work”; Notes: Refers to something molded or hardened, possibly metal.
- הֵ֨מָּה (hemmah) – Root: Pronoun; Form: Independent 3rd person masculine plural pronoun; Translation: “they”; Notes: Refers to the idols being described.
- וְלֹ֣א (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Introduces negation of the following verb.
- יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ (yedabberu) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they speak”; Notes: Expresses incapacity of idols to communicate.
- נָשֹׂ֥וא (naso) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Qal infinitive absolute; Translation: “carrying”; Notes: Emphatic use anticipating the next verb, stressing necessity of being carried.
- יִנָּשׂ֖וּא (yinnasu) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they must be carried”; Notes: Passive form highlighting their helplessness.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason for the previous clause.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denial of the following verb.
- יִצְעָ֑דוּ (yitsʿadu) – Root: צעד (tsaʿad); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they walk”; Notes: Indicates inability to move on their own.
- אַל־תִּֽירְא֤וּ (ʾal-tiraʾu) – Root: ירא (yaraʾ); Form: Negative particle אַל + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural, jussive; Translation: “Do not fear”; Notes: Divine prohibition regarding idols.
- מֵהֶם֙ (mehem) – Root: הֵם (hem); Form: Preposition מִן + third person masculine plural pronoun; Translation: “from them”; Notes: Refers to the idols as the object of misplaced fear.
- כִּי־לֹ֣א (ki-lo) – Root: כי (ki), לא (lo); Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “for they do not”; Notes: Sets up the following verbal clause.
- יָרֵ֔עוּ (yareʿu) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “do harm”; Notes: Indicates that idols are incapable of causing evil.
- וְגַם־הֵיטֵ֖יב (ve-gam-heitiv) – Root: יטב (yatav); Form: Conjunction וְ + intensifier גַם + Hifil infinitive absolute; Translation: “and also to do good”; Notes: Emphasizes their total impotence—neither harmful nor beneficial.
- אֵ֥ין (ʾein) – Root: Particle of negation/existence; Form: Negative existential; Translation: “there is not”; Notes: Denies capacity or essence in the subject.
- אֹותָֽם (otam) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: 3rd person masculine plural pronoun, object form; Translation: “in them” / “of them”; Notes: Completes the statement about their inability to do good.