וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם עַל֩ אֲשֶׁר־עָזְב֨וּ אֲבֹותֵיכֶ֤ם אֹותִי֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וַיַּעַבְד֖וּם וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ לָהֶ֑ם וְאֹתִ֣י עָזָ֔בוּ וְאֶת־תֹּורָתִ֖י לֹ֥א שָׁמָֽרוּ׃
And you shall say to them, ‘Because your fathers forsook Me,’ declares YHWH, ‘and they went after other gods and served them and bowed down to them, but Me they have forsaken, and My Torah they have not kept.
Morphology
- וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ (ve-amarta) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And you shall say”; Notes: Introduces the prophet’s proclamation.
- אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם (aleihem) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the people receiving the message.
- עַל֩ (ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition; Translation: “because of”; Notes: Used causally to explain divine judgment.
- אֲשֶׁר־ (asher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason clause.
- עָזְב֨וּ (ʿazvu) – Root: עזב (ʿazav); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they forsook”; Notes: Refers to the covenant betrayal by ancestors.
- אֲבֹותֵיכֶ֤ם (avoteikhem) – Root: אב (ʾav); Form: Plural noun with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your fathers”; Notes: Highlights generational guilt.
- אֹותִי֙ (oti) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “Me”; Notes: Refers to YHWH Himself as the forsaken one.
- נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה (neʾum-YHWH) – Root: נאם (naʾam); Form: Noun construct + proper name; Translation: “declares YHWH”; Notes: Prophetic declaration formula indicating divine speech.
- וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ (va-yeleḵu) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they went”; Notes: Sequential narrative action after forsaking YHWH.
- אַֽחֲרֵי֙ (aḥarei) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Preposition; Translation: “after”; Notes: Expresses devotion or pursuit.
- אֱלֹהִ֣ים (ʾelohim) – Root: אלה (ʾeloah); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “gods”; Notes: Refers to false deities or idols.
- אֲחֵרִ֔ים (aḥerim) – Root: אחר (aḥer); Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “other”; Notes: Contrasts with YHWH as the one true God.
- וַיַּעַבְד֖וּם (va-yaʿavdum) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural + 3rd masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and they served them”; Notes: Indicates idolatrous worship.
- וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ (va-yishtakḥavu) – Root: חוה (ḥawah); Form: Hishtaphel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they bowed down”; Notes: Act of reverence or worship.
- לָהֶ֑ם (lahem) – Root: ל (le); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the false gods previously mentioned.
- וְאֹתִ֣י (ve-oti) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Conjunction + direct object pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “but Me”; Notes: Repetition of divine rejection, contrastive emphasis.
- עָזָ֔בוּ (ʿazavu) – Root: עזב (ʿazav); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have forsaken”; Notes: Repetition for intensification of guilt.
- וְאֶת־ (ve-et) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Conjunction + direct object marker; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects two direct objects.
- תֹּורָתִ֖י (torati) – Root: ירה (yarah); Form: Feminine noun with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “My Torah”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s instruction or law.
- לֹ֥א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
- שָׁמָֽרוּ (shamaru) – Root: שׁמר (shamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have kept”; Notes: Implies disobedience and breach of covenant.