הַנְּבִיאִ֞ים נִבְּא֣וּ־בַשֶּׁ֗קֶר וְהַכֹּהֲנִים֙ יִרְדּ֣וּ עַל־יְדֵיהֶ֔ם וְעַמִּ֖י אָ֣הֲבוּ כֵ֑ן וּמַֽה־תַּעֲשׂ֖וּ לְאַחֲרִיתָֽהּ׃
The prophets prophesied falsely, and the priests ruled by their hands, and My people loved it so; but what will you do at its end?
Morphology
- הַנְּבִיאִים (ha-neviʾim) – Root: נבא; Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the prophets”; Notes: Religious spokesmen, here acting falsely.
- נִבְּאוּ (nibbeʾu) – Root: נבא; Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they prophesied”; Notes: Reflexive or passive; here in a false or deceptive sense.
- בַשֶּׁקֶר (va-sheqer) – Root: שׁקר; Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “falsely” or “with falsehood”; Notes: Indicates content of their prophecy.
- וְהַכֹּהֲנִים (ve-ha-kohanim) – Root: כהן; Form: Conjunction + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “and the priests”; Notes: Religious officials, here also corrupt.
- יִרְדּוּ (yirdu) – Root: רדה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they ruled”; Notes: Often connotes oppressive rule.
- עַל־יְדֵיהֶם (ʿal-yedeihem) – Root: יד; Form: Preposition עַל + noun feminine dual construct + 3mp suffix; Translation: “by their hands”; Notes: May mean by their own authority or possibly under the prophets’ control.
- וְעַמִּי (ve-ʿammi) – Root: עם; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular with 1cs suffix; Translation: “and My people”; Notes: Refers to Yisraʾel.
- אָהֲבוּ (ʾahavu) – Root: אהב; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they loved”; Notes: Indicates their willing embrace of corruption.
- כֵן (ken) – Root: כן; Form: Adverb; Translation: “so” or “thus”; Notes: Refers to the corrupt situation described.
- וּמַה (u-mah) – Root: מה; Form: Conjunction + interrogative pronoun; Translation: “but what”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question.
- תַּעֲשׂוּ (taʿasu) – Root: עשׂה; Form: Qal imperfect 2mp; Translation: “will you do”; Notes: Calls attention to their future response or fate.
- לְאַחֲרִיתָהּ (le-aḥaritah) – Root: אחר; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular with 3fs suffix; Translation: “at its end”; Notes: Refers to the outcome or final consequence of their corruption.