שִׁחֲת֣וּ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 שִׁחֲת֣וּ

   shi-kha-TU

   they destroyed
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 אֲשֶׁ֣ר שִׁחֲת֣וּ אֲבוֹתַ֔י

   a-SHER shi-kha-TU a-vo-TAI

   which they destroyed my fathers
3. clause🔊 הַהִצִּ֨ילוּ אֹתָ֜ם אֱלֹהֵ֤י הַגּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שִׁחֲת֣וּ אֲבוֹתַ֔י אֶת־גּוֹזָ֖ן וְאֶת־חָרָ֑ן

   ha-hi-TSI-lu o-TAM e-lo-HEI ha-go-YIM a-SHER shi-kha-TU a-vo-TAI ET-go-ZAN ve-ET-kha-RAN

   have they delivered them gods of the nations which they destroyed my fathers {direct object} Gozan and {direct object} Haran
4. sentence🔊 הַהִצִּ֨ילוּ אֹתָ֜ם אֱלֹהֵ֤י הַגּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שִׁחֲת֣וּ אֲבוֹתַ֔י אֶת־גּוֹזָ֖ן וְאֶת־חָרָ֑ן וְרֶ֥צֶף וּבְנֵי־עֶ֖דֶן אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּתְלַאשָּֽׂר׃

   ha-hi-TSI-lu o-TAM e-lo-HEI ha-go-YIM a-SHER shi-kha-TU a-vo-TAI ET-go-ZAN ve-ET-kha-RAN ve-RE-tsef u-ve-NE-e-DEN a-SHER bit-la-sar

   have they delivered them gods of the nations which they destroyed my fathers {direct object} Gozan and {direct object} Haran and Rezeph and sons of Eden who or which in Telassar

Exegesis

The subject Elohei hagoyim {אֱלֹהֵי הַגּוֹיִם | ʾĕ-lō-hê ha-gō-yîm} ‘gods of the nations’ is specified by the relative clause asher shikhatu avotai {אֲשֶׁר שִׁחֲתוּ אֲבוֹתַי | ʾă-šer ši-ḥə-tû ʾă-vō-ṯai} ‘which my fathers destroyed,’ emphasizing decisive defeat. The repetition of the direct-object marker et before Gozan and Haran organizes the enumeration of conquered places.

Root and etymology

Root🔊 ש־ח־תš-kh-t

“to destroy, ruin, corrupt”

• 🔊 שִׁחֲתוּshikhatuthey destroyedGenesis 6:12