כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עַל־הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים הַמַּתְעִ֣ים אֶת־עַמִּ֑י הַנֹּשְׁכִ֤ים בְּשִׁנֵּיהֶם֙ וְקָרְא֣וּ שָׁלֹ֔ום וַאֲשֶׁר֙ לֹא־יִתֵּ֣ן עַל־פִּיהֶ֔ם וְקִדְּשׁ֥וּ עָלָ֖יו מִלְחָמָֽה׃
Thus says YHWH concerning the prophets who lead My people astray those who bite with their teeth and they call “peace” but he who does not give on their mouths they declare against him war.
Morphology
- כֹּה (koh) — Root: כה (koh); Form: Adverb; Translation: “thus”; Notes: Standard prophetic introduction.
- אָמַר (amar) — Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “says”; Notes: Prophetic speech formula.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) — Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Speaker of the oracle.
- עַל (ʿal) — Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition עַל; Translation: “concerning”; Notes: Introduces the object of condemnation.
- הַנְּבִיאִים (ha-neviʾim) — Root: נבא (navaʾ); Form: Definite article הַ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “the prophets”; Notes: Refers to false prophets misleading the people.
- הַמַּתְעִים (ha-matʿim) — Root: תעה (taʿah); Form: Definite article הַ + Hifil participle masculine plural; Translation: “who lead astray”; Notes: Hifil expresses causing deception.
- אֶת (et) — Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: “—”; Notes: Marks the following noun as the object.
- עַמִּי (ʿammi) — Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “My people”; Notes: YHWH’s covenant people.
- הַנֹּשְׁכִים (ha-noshkhim) — Root: נשך (nashakh); Form: Definite article הַ + Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “those who bite”; Notes: Metaphor of predatory exploitation.
- בְּשִׁנֵּיהֶם (be-shinneihem) — Root: שן (shen); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine plural construct + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “with their teeth”; Notes: Depicts violent, greedy consumption.
- וְקָרְאוּ (ve-karʾu) — Root: קרא (qaraʾ); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “and they call”; Notes: Declaring their message to the people.
- שָׁלֹום (shalom) — Root: שלם (shalem); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “peace”; Notes: Often misused by false prophets promising security.
- וַאֲשֶׁר (va-asher) — Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Conjunction וַ + relative particle; Translation: “but he who”; Notes: Introduces contrasting case.
- לֹא (lo) — Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
- יִתֵּן (yitten) — Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he gives”; Notes: Refers here to giving payment or food.
- עַל (ʿal) — Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition עַל; Translation: “upon”; Notes: Governs the idiom that follows.
- פִּיהֶם (pihem) — Root: פה (peh); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “their mouths”; Notes: Implies providing sustenance or bribe to prophets.
- וְקִדְּשׁוּ (ve-kiddeshu) — Root: קדשׁ (qadash); Form: Conjunction וְ + Piel perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “and they declare”; Notes: Piel here means “to proclaim,” often in a formal sense.
- עָלָיו (ʿalav) — Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition עַל + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “against him”; Notes: The person who refuses to give them payment.
- מִלְחָמָה (milḥamah) — Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “war”; Notes: They proclaim hostility instead of favor when not paid.