כִּֽי־גַם־נָבִ֥יא גַם־כֹּהֵ֖ן חָנֵ֑פוּ גַּם־בְּבֵיתִ֛י מָצָ֥אתִי רָעָתָ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃
1. Intensification through Repetition and Syntax
The verse opens with כִּֽי־גַם־נָבִ֥יא גַם־כֹּהֵ֖ן—“For both prophet and priest.” The repetition of גַם (“also” or “even”) is not casual but emphatic. It intensifies the indictment, emphasizing that corruption has penetrated all levels of Israel’s spiritual leadership. The structure גַם… גַם often expresses inclusive condemnation. Here, both prophetic and priestly offices—traditionally representing divine speech and sacred mediation—are declared guilty.
The phrase functions almost as a lament: “Even the prophet… even the priest…” It evokes shock and sorrow. The syntax brings gravity by placing the accused roles at the beginning, highlighting the tragedy of their fall.
2. Verb Analysis and Theological Implication: חָנֵ֑פוּ
The verb חָנֵ֑פוּ (“they have become profane” or “they acted wickedly”) is a Qal perfect 3rd person common plural from the root חנ״ף, which connotes godlessness, defilement, or corruption. The perfect tense portrays this corruption as a completed reality. It is not speculative or potential—it is definitive.
The use of the root חנ״ף is significant. It often refers not just to moral failure, but to a betrayal of sacred identity. That this term is applied to both prophet and priest heightens the theological crisis: those meant to preserve holiness have become its violators. The perfect form underscores that this is not an isolated event, but a settled state.
3. Divine Disappointment Expressed through Contrast: גַּם־בְּבֵיתִ֛י
The phrase גַּם־בְּבֵיתִ֛י (“even in My house”) is structurally jarring. The particle גַּם recurs again, this time linked to the בֵּיתִי (“My house”), referring to the temple. The shock intensifies: not only are Israel’s religious leaders corrupt, but their wickedness extends into the very sanctuary of YHWH.
The possessive suffix -ִי personalizes the grief. This is not merely about defiling a holy place—it is a personal betrayal of God’s own house. The syntax delays the verb to make the subject בְּבֵיתִי the focal point, enhancing the emotional force.
4. Theological Significance of מָצָ֥אתִי רָעָתָ֖ם
מָצָ֥אתִי (“I have found”) is a Qal perfect 1st person singular, with YHWH as the subject. This is divine speech, and the verb reflects judicial discovery. God has investigated and uncovered their evil. The perfect tense again stresses that this is not suspicion, but the result of divine inspection.
רָעָתָ֖ם (“their evil”) is a construct form from רָעָה, with a 3rd person masculine plural suffix. The placement after מָצָ֥אתִי emphasizes the object of divine discovery. Their evil is not vague—it is known, concrete, personal. In biblical theology, רָעָה often represents not merely immorality but opposition to covenantal order.
5. Prophetic Closure: נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה
The phrase נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה (“declares YHWH”) is a formulaic expression in prophetic literature, but its function here is more than stylistic. It affirms that the words are not Jeremiah’s lament alone but divine indictment. Grammatically, it functions as a seal of authority—placing divine weight behind the pronouncement.
The noun נְאֻם (utterance, declaration) is often used in covenantal oracles, underlining that the speaker is the God of the covenant who is now pronouncing judgment upon His own household.
6. Literary and Poetic Techniques
This verse features:
- Tripartite repetition of גַם: reinforcing the depth of corruption and multiplying the emotional blows.
- Parallelism: “Prophet and priest have become profane” // “Even in My house I have found their evil.” This parallel structure juxtaposes persons and place, showing comprehensive defilement.
- Irony: The very temple meant for holiness becomes the scene of found wickedness. This literary reversal is profoundly tragic and theologically jarring.
7. Spiritual and Covenantal Reflection
This verse reveals a painful paradox: those entrusted with holiness have polluted it. The grammatical features—perfect verbs, emphatic particles, and possessive forms—lay bare a reality in which sacred offices and spaces have been violated.
Theologically, this reflects Israel’s covenant breach. God’s “finding” of evil in His house is a prophetic echo of the Deuteronomic warnings: that if the people defile the sanctuary, judgment will come. Yet this judgment is not devoid of sorrow—God’s speech here is tinged with divine lament.
Ultimately, this verse calls for a spiritual awakening. Through the precision of Hebrew grammar, it urges us to examine whether sacred titles or places have become hollow, and whether what is called holy still honors the name of YHWH.
