מַדּ֨וּעַ שֹׁובְבָ֜ה הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֛ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם מְשֻׁבָ֣ה נִצַּ֑חַת הֶחֱזִ֨יקוּ֙ בַּתַּרְמִ֔ית מֵאֲנ֖וּ לָשֽׁוּב׃
Why has this people, Yerushalayim, turned away with a perpetual turning? They hold fast to deceit, they refuse to return.
Morphology
- מַדּוּעַ (madduaʿ) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “Why”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical or accusatory question.
- שֹׁובְבָה (shovvah) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “has turned away”; Notes: Feminine verb form matching the subject “Yerushalayim.”
- הָעָם (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Often collective; refers to the nation of Yisraʾel or Yerushalayim’s inhabitants.
- הַזֶּה (hazzeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Modifies “the people,” emphasizing their identity.
- יְרוּשָׁלִַם (Yerushalayim) – Root: —; Form: Proper noun, feminine singular; Translation: “Yerushalayim”; Notes: Apposition to “this people,” clarifying who is meant.
- מְשֻׁבָה (meshubah) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “turning away” or “apostasy”; Notes: Conveys stubborn deviation from YHWH’s path.
- נִצַּחַת (nitssaḥat) – Root: נצח (natsaḥ); Form: Niphal participle feminine singular; Translation: “perpetual” or “lasting”; Notes: Functions adjectivally to modify “turning.”
- הֶחֱזִיקוּ (heḥeziqu) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Hiphil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they held fast”; Notes: Causative action of clinging or grasping tightly.
- בַּתַּרְמִית (ba-tarmit) – Root: תרם (taram); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “to the deceit”; Notes: Indicates what they cling to—falsehood or delusion.
- מֵאֲנוּ (meʾanu) – Root: מאן (maʾan); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they refused”; Notes: Expresses deliberate resistance or rejection.
- לָשׁוּב (lashuv) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Infinitive construct with prefixed לְ; Translation: “to return”; Notes: Refers to repentance or returning to YHWH’s ways.