כִּ֤י מִקְּטַנָּם֙ וְעַד־גְּדֹולָ֔ם כֻּלֹּ֖ו בֹּוצֵ֣עַ בָּ֑צַע וּמִנָּבִיא֙ וְעַד־כֹּהֵ֔ן כֻּלֹּ֖ו עֹ֥שֶׂה שָּֽׁקֶר׃
“For from their least even to their greatest, all of them are greedy for gain, and from prophet even to priest, all of them act falsely.
Morphology
- כִּ֤י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces the reason or cause for judgment.
- מִקְּטַנָּם (miqqetannam) – Root: קטן; Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “from their least”; Notes: Refers to the youngest, lowest, or least important members of society.
- וְעַד־גְּדֹולָם (ve-ʿad-gedolam) – Root: גדל; Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition עַד + noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “even to their greatest”; Notes: Indicates totality from least to greatest.
- כֻּלֹּ֖ו (kullo) – Root: כלל; Form: Noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “all of him” (collectively: “all of them”); Notes: Refers to the entire population.
- בֹּוצֵ֣עַ (botseʿa) – Root: בצע; Form: Qal active participle masculine singular; Translation: “greedy” or “one who cuts off gain”; Notes: Used metaphorically for a person driven by unjust gain.
- בָּצַע (batzaʿ) – Root: בצע; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “gain” or “unjust profit”; Notes: Highlights the corrupt motive.
- וּמִנָּבִיא (u-minnaviʾ) – Root: נבא; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and from prophet”; Notes: Begins second range of corrupt individuals.
- וְעַד־כֹּהֵן (ve-ʿad-kohen) – Root: כהן; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “even to priest”; Notes: Pairs the two spiritual leaders as corrupt.
- כֻּלֹּ֖ו (kullo) – Root: כלל; Form: Noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “all of him” (collectively: “all of them”); Notes: Repeats for rhetorical emphasis.
- עֹשֶׂה (ʿoseh) – Root: עשׂה; Form: Qal active participle masculine singular; Translation: “doing” or “acting”; Notes: Continuous action.
- שָּֽׁקֶר (sheqer) – Root: שׁקר; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “falsehood” or “deceit”; Notes: Moral indictment of false prophets and corrupt priests.