וַיִּפְנ֥וּ אֵלַ֛י עֹ֖רֶף וְלֹ֣א פָנִ֑ים וְלַמֵּ֤ד אֹתָם֙ הַשְׁכֵּ֣ם וְלַמֵּ֔ד וְאֵינָ֥ם שֹׁמְעִ֖ים לָקַ֥חַת מוּסָֽר׃
And they turned to Me the back of the neck and not the face, though I taught them, rising early and teaching, but they are not listening to take discipline.
Morphology
- וַיִּפְנ֥וּ (va-yifnu) – Root: פנה; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they turned”; Notes: The wayyiqtol form (waw-consecutive) indicates sequential action in past narrative.
- אֵלַ֛י (elai) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to Me”; Notes: Marks the direction of the action toward YHWH.
- עֹ֖רֶף (ʿoref) – Root: עורף; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “back of the neck”; Notes: Idiomatic for defiance or rejection.
- וְלֹ֣א (ve-lo) – Root: לא; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Negates the following noun phrase.
- פָנִ֑ים (panim) – Root: פנה; Form: Noun masculine plural (dual in form but plural in meaning); Translation: “face”; Notes: Stands in contrast to “back of the neck.”
- וְלַמֵּ֤ד (ve-lammed) – Root: למד; Form: Conjunction + Piel infinitive absolute; Translation: “and teaching”; Notes: Infinitive absolute for emphasis, often paired with a finite verb to stress persistence.
- אֹתָם֙ (otam) – Root: את; Form: Direct object marker + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “them”; Notes: Marks the object of the verb “teaching.”
- הַשְׁכֵּ֣ם (hashkem) – Root: שׁכם; Form: Hiphil infinitive absolute; Translation: “rising early”; Notes: Used idiomatically for diligent or repeated effort.
- וְלַמֵּ֔ד (ve-lammed) – Root: למד; Form: Conjunction + Piel infinitive absolute; Translation: “and teaching”; Notes: Repetition here intensifies the persistence of YHWH’s instruction.
- וְאֵינָ֥ם (ve-einam) – Root: אין; Form: Conjunction + negative existential particle + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “but they are not”; Notes: Indicates ongoing refusal.
- שֹׁמְעִ֖ים (shomʿim) – Root: שׁמע; Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “listening”; Notes: Describes a continual state rather than a single act.
- לָקַ֥חַת (laqakhat) – Root: לקח; Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to take”; Notes: Governs the object “discipline.”
- מוּסָֽר (musar) – Root: יסר; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “discipline” / “correction”; Notes: Refers to moral and ethical instruction aimed at reform.