Jeremiah 17:1

חַטַּ֣את יְהוּדָ֗ה כְּתוּבָ֛ה בְּעֵ֥ט בַּרְזֶ֖ל בְּצִפֹּ֣רֶן שָׁמִ֑יר חֲרוּשָׁה֙ עַל־ל֣וּחַ לִבָּ֔ם וּלְקַרְנֹ֖ות מִזְבְּחֹותֵיכֶֽם׃

The sin of Yehuda is written with an iron pen, with a diamond point it is engraved upon the tablet of their heart and upon the horns of your altars.

Morphology

1. חַטַּ֣את (ḥattaʾt) – Root: חטא; Form: Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “sin”; Notes: Refers to the iniquity or guilt of Yehudah, treated as an abstract or collective concept.
2. יְהוּדָ֗ה (Yehudah) – Root: יהודה; Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: Refers to the southern kingdom of Yisraʾel.
3. כְּתוּבָ֛ה (ketuvah) – Root: כתב; Form: Qal passive participle feminine singular; Translation: “is written”; Notes: Describes the permanence of the sin as if inscribed in stone or metal.
4. בְּעֵ֥ט (be-ʿet) – Root: עט; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “with a pen”; Notes: Likely a stylus used for engraving.
5. בַּרְזֶ֖ל (barzel) – Root: ברזל; Form: Noun masculine singular in construct with preceding word; Translation: “iron”; Notes: Specifies the material of the engraving tool—used for emphasis on hardness and permanence.
6. בְּצִפֹּ֣רֶן (be-tsipporen) – Root: צפרן; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “with a point”; Notes: Refers to a stylus or engraving tip, often of metal or hard stone.
7. שָׁמִ֑יר (shamir) – Root: שמיר; Form: Noun masculine singular in apposition; Translation: “diamond” or “hard stone”; Notes: Represents extreme hardness—used metaphorically to intensify the engraving’s severity.
8. חֲרוּשָׁה֙ (ḥarushah) – Root: חרש; Form: Qal passive participle feminine singular; Translation: “engraved”; Notes: Indicates the act of carving or inscribing deeply, linking with the imagery of sin engraved into the heart.
9. עַל־ל֣וּחַ (ʿal-luaḥ) – Root: לוח; Form: Preposition עַל + noun masculine singular; Translation: “upon the tablet”; Notes: Metaphorical reference to the human heart as a tablet of memory or conscience.
10. לִבָּ֔ם (libbam) – Root: לב; Form: Noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their heart”; Notes: Indicates the internalization of sin in the people of Yehudah.
11. וּלְקַרְנֹ֖ות (u-leqarnot) – Root: קרן; Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition לְ + noun feminine plural; Translation: “and upon the horns”; Notes: Refers to the altar’s horns, symbolic of sacrifice and worship.
12. מִזְבְּחֹותֵיכֶֽם (mizbḥotekhem) – Root: מזבח; Form: Noun masculine plural with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your altars”; Notes: Addressed to the people, showing that even the places of worship are marked by their sin.