מַדּ֨וּעַ שֹׁובְבָ֜ה הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֛ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם מְשֻׁבָ֣ה נִצַּ֑חַת הֶחֱזִ֨יקוּ֙ בַּתַּרְמִ֔ית מֵאֲנ֖וּ לָשֽׁוּב׃
(Jeremiah 8:5)
Why has this people turned away—Yerushalayim in perpetual backsliding? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return.
A Grammar of Grief
Jeremiah 8:5 presents a divine lament couched in a rhetorical question. The verse is steeped in emotion, but its syntax is sharply structured—a sequence of interrogative construction, participial modifiers, nominal apposition, and verbal defiance. The grammar expresses the prophet’s disbelief and God’s indictment of unrepentant rebellion.
Interrogative Opening: מַדּ֨וּעַ שֹׁובְבָ֜ה
- מַדּ֨וּעַ – “Why?” (interrogative adverb introducing the whole question)
- שֹׁובְבָ֜ה – Qal perfect 3fs from שׁ־ו־ב in the intensive form “to turn away/backslide”
Interestingly, שֹׁובְבָה is feminine singular, agreeing with the feminine noun יְרוּשָׁלִַם, even though the question begins with הָעָם (masculine). This shows the poetic interchange between collective people and the feminine personified city.
Apposition and Repetition: הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֛ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם
These three nouns are in close proximity:
- הָעָם הַזֶּה – “this people” (definite noun + demonstrative)
- יְרוּשָׁלִַם – “Jerusalem” (apposition to “people” as metonymy)
This pairing collapses nation and city, emphasizing that what’s true of the people is true of Jerusalem, and vice versa.
Nominal Clause: מְשֻׁבָ֣ה נִצַּ֑חַת
This verbless clause is made of:
- מְשֻׁבָ֣ה – “apostasy, backsliding” (noun in construct or absolute use)
- נִצַּ֑חַת – Niphal participle feminine singular from נ־צ־ח, “to be lasting / perpetual”
Together: “a perpetual backsliding.” The phrase functions in apposition to Yerushalayim, describing its moral state without needing a linking verb. This is a diagnosis in noun form.
Verbal Defiance: הֶחֱזִ֨יקוּ בַּתַּרְמִ֔ית מֵאֲנ֖וּ לָשֽׁוּב
These two clauses express the reason behind the backsliding:
- הֶחֱזִ֨יקוּ – Hifil perfect 3mp from ח־ז־ק, “they have clung / held fast”
- בַּתַּרְמִ֔ית – “to deceit” (definite noun)
Followed by:
- מֵאֲנ֖וּ – Qal perfect 3mp of מ־א־ן, “they refused”
- לָשׁוּב – “to return” (infinitive construct of שׁוּב)
The syntax is binary: they cling to falsehood, and reject repentance.
Poetic Structure Table
| Clause | Function | Key Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| מַדּוּעַ שֹׁובְבָה | Interrogative + verb | Qal 3fs + adverb |
| יְרוּשָׁלִַם מְשֻׁבָה נִצַּחַת | Appositional description | Noun + Niphal participle |
| הֶחֱזִיקוּ בַּתַּרְמִית | Affirmative verb + object | Hifil perfect 3mp |
| מֵאֲנוּ לָשׁוּב | Negative volition | Qal + infinitive construct |
When Syntax Becomes Lament
Jeremiah 8:5 is not just a poetic lament—it’s a syntactic portrayal of spiritual stubbornness:
- Interrogative syntax conveys divine anguish
- Participial noun phrase reveals the unchanging sin
- Coordinated verbs map both action and inaction
The grammar speaks louder than the words: They cling, they refuse, and thus they spiral. In Biblical Hebrew, apostasy is not just a concept—it is a clause, a participle, a refusal etched in structure.