Study it in the app“They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies that he testified against them; and they went after what is vain and became vain, and after the nations that were around them, about which YHWH had commanded them not to do like them.”
They despisedוַיִּמְאֲסוּhis statutesאֶת חֻקָּיוand his covenantוְאֶת בְּרִיתוֹthatאֲשֶׁרhe madeכָּרַתwith their fathers,אֶת אֲבוֹתָםand his testimoniesוְאֵת עֵדְוֺתָיוthatאֲשֶׁרhe testifiedהֵעִידagainst them;בָּםand they wentוַיֵּלְכוּafterאַחֲרֵיwhat is vainהַהֶבֶלand became vain,וַיֶּהְבָּלוּand afterוְאַחֲרֵיthe nationsהַגּוֹיִםthatאֲשֶׁרwere around them,סְבִיבֹתָםabout whichאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהhad commanded themצִוָּה אֹתָםnotלְבִלְתִּיto doעֲשׂוֹתlike them.כָּהֶם
reject
To regard something or someone as worthless and put it away.
Where else “yimasu” appearsstatute
A rule that God or a king sets and that must be kept.
Where else “chukay” appearscovenant
The commitment God makes with his people, with promises and commands.
Where else “berit” appearsmake a covenant
Literally "cut": to seal a solemn agreement, splitting animals.
Where else “karat” appearsforefather
Ancestors, those who came before in the family.
Where else “avota” appearstestimony
Testimony: the tablets of the covenant, which bear witness to what God commanded; "the ark of the testimony" holds them.
Where else “edvotay” appearstestify
To declare what one knows, or summon others to vouch for one's words.
Where else “heid” appearsgo
To head for a place, to leave where one is in order to reach another.
Where else “yelchu” appearsvain
With no result or gain, like someone toiling for nothing.
Where else “hevel” appearsbecome vain
To become vain, to become empty; it comes from the word "vapor, breath." Said of one who puts his trust in what is nothing and ends up like it (2 Kings 17:15; Jeremiah 2:5), and also of speaking or hoping in vain (Job 27:12; Psalm 62:10).
Where else “yehbalu” appearsGentiles
The peoples other than Israel.
Where else “goyim” appearsaround
In a circle or on every side of something: the camp, the city, the altar.
Where else “sevivota” appearsYHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appearscommand
To give an order: "as YHWH had commanded".
Where else “tsiva” appearscarry out
To do what is commanded.
Where else “asot” appears“What is vain”: the Hebrew word means “vapor, breath,” something without substance; it is said of idols (Deuteronomy 32:21; 1 Kings 16:13). The text plays with it: whoever goes after what is nothing becomes nothing.
14But they did not listen, and they stiffened their neck like the neck of their fathers, who did not believe in YHWH their Elohim.
15 · This verse (above)
16They abandoned all the commandments of YHWH their Elohim and made for themselves a cast image, two calves; and they made an Asherah, and bowed down to all the army of the heavens, and served Baal.
