כִּזְכֹּ֤ר בְּנֵיהֶם֙ מִזְבְּחֹותָ֔ם וַאֲשֵׁרֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־עֵ֣ץ רַֽעֲנָ֑ן עַ֖ל גְּבָעֹ֥ות הַגְּבֹהֹֽות׃
Like their sons remember their altars and their ʾAsherim beside every green tree, upon the high hills.
Morphology
- כִּזְכֹּ֤ר (kizkor) – Root: זכר; Form: Preposition כְּ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “like the remembering”; Notes: Introduces a simile comparing the current sin to a vivid memory or habitual act.
- בְּנֵיהֶם (benehem) – Root: בן; Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their sons”; Notes: Likely refers to the children of Yehudah, indicating generational memory or participation in idolatry.
- מִזְבְּחֹותָם (mizbḥotam) – Root: מזבח; Form: Noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their altars”; Notes: Refers to illicit or pagan altars remembered or revered by the children.
- וַאֲשֵׁרֵיהֶם (va-ʾAsheirehem) – Root: אשרה; Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine plural with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and their ʾAsherim”; Notes: Refers to cultic poles or images associated with the goddess Asherah.
- עַל־עֵ֣ץ (ʿal-ʿets) – Root: עץ; Form: Preposition עַל + noun masculine singular; Translation: “upon a tree”; Notes: Locative phrase describing where the ʾAsherim are set up—beside sacred or leafy trees.
- רַֽעֲנָ֑ן (raʿanan) – Root: רענן; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “green” or “lush”; Notes: Emphasizes the attractiveness or fertility of the idolatrous setting.
- עַ֖ל (ʿal) – Root: על; Form: Preposition; Translation: “upon”; Notes: Introduces the location of the worship objects—upon the hills.
- גְּבָעֹ֥ות (gevʿot) – Root: גבעה; Form: Noun feminine plural absolute; Translation: “hills”; Notes: High places commonly associated with idolatrous worship in prophetic literature.
- הַגְּבֹהֹֽות (ha-gevohot) – Root: גבוה; Form: Adjective feminine plural definite; Translation: “the high”; Notes: Modifies “hills,” stressing their elevation and symbolic pride or inaccessibility.