אִם־מַעֲשֵׂ֧ה

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 אִם־מַעֲשֵׂ֧ה

   im-ma-a-SE

   but rather a work or deed of
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 כִּ֣י אִם־מַעֲשֵׂ֧ה יְדֵֽי־אָדָ֛ם

   KI im-ma-a-SE ye-DE-a-DAM

   for but rather a work or deed of hands of man or humankind
3. clause🔊 כִּי֩ לֹ֨א אֱלֹהִ֜ים הֵ֗מָּה כִּ֣י אִם־מַעֲשֵׂ֧ה יְדֵֽי־אָדָ֛ם עֵ֥ץ וָאֶ֖בֶן וַֽיְאַבְּדֽוּם׃

   KI LO e-lo-HIM HE-ma KI im-ma-a-SE ye-DE-a-DAM ETS va-E-ven va-ye-AB-de-m

   for not gods they for but rather a work or deed of hands of man or humankind wood or tree and stone and they destroyed them
4. sentence🔊 וְנָתְנ֥וּ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֖ם בָּאֵ֑שׁ כִּי֩ לֹ֨א אֱלֹהִ֜ים הֵ֗מָּה כִּ֣י אִם־מַעֲשֵׂ֧ה יְדֵֽי־אָדָ֛ם עֵ֥ץ וָאֶ֖בֶן וַֽיְאַבְּדֽוּם׃

   ve-na-TE-nu ET-e-lo-HE-hem ba-ESH KI LO e-lo-HIM HE-ma KI im-ma-a-SE ye-DE-a-DAM ETS va-E-ven va-ye-AB-de-m

   and they have put or set the gods of them in the fire for not gods they for but rather a work or deed of hands of man or humankind wood or tree and stone and they destroyed them

Exegesis

The adversative clause ki im-maaseh yedei-adam {כִּי אִם־מַעֲשֵׂ֧ה יְדֵֽי־אָדָ֛ם | kî ʾim-ma-ʿă-sê yə-dê-yā-ˈdām} ‘but only work of human hands’ reveals the idols’ true nature, further specified by the appositive ets va-even {עֵץ וָאֶבֶן | ʿêṣ wā-ʾe-ḇen} ‘wood and stone’.

Root and etymology

ʿ-s-h🔊 ע־שׂ־הayin–sin–heh

“work, deed”

• 🔊 עָשָׂהʿā-śāhto make, doGenesis 1:7