רַ֤ק אֶת־כָּל־הַמַּמְלָכָה֙ לֹ֣א אֶקְרָ֔ע שֵׁ֥בֶט אֶחָ֖ד אֶתֵּ֣ן לִבְנֶ֑ךָ לְמַ֨עַן֙ דָּוִ֣ד עַבְדִּ֔י וּלְמַ֥עַן יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּחָֽרְתִּי׃
Only the whole kingdom I will not tear away—one tribe I will give to your son, for the sake of Dawid My servant and for the sake of Yerushalayim which I have chosen.
Morphology
- רַ֤ק (raq) – Root: –; Form: Adverb/particle; Translation: “Only”; Notes: Limits the scope of what follows.
- אֶת־כָּל־הַמַּמְלָכָה֙ (et-kol-ha-mamlakhah) – Root: מלך (m.l.k); Form: Direct object marker + construct noun + definite noun, feminine singular; Translation: “the whole kingdom”; Notes: Object of the verb “I will not tear.”
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא (l.ʾ); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the verb that follows.
- אֶקְרָ֔ע (ekraʿ) – Root: קרע (q.r.ʿ); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will tear”; Notes: Future action expressing divine judgment.
- שֵׁ֥בֶט (shevet) – Root: שבט (sh.b.t); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a tribe”; Notes: Refers to a division of Yisraʾel, often Judah.
- אֶחָ֖ד (eḥad) – Root: אחד (ʾ.ḥ.d); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Modifies “tribe.”
- אֶתֵּ֣ן (etten) – Root: נתן (n.t.n); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will give”; Notes: Divine grant of limited kingdom.
- לִבְנֶ֑ךָ (li-vnekha) – Root: בן (b.n); Form: Preposition + noun with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to your son”; Notes: Refers to Shelomoh’s heir.
- לְמַ֨עַן (le-maʿan) – Root: מען (m.ʿ.n); Form: Preposition; Translation: “for the sake of”; Notes: Introduces purpose or motive.
- דָּוִ֣ד (Dawid) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Dawid”; Notes: Loyal servant of YHWH, reason for the remnant of the kingdom.
- עַבְדִּ֔י (avdi) – Root: עבד (ʿ.b.d); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “My servant”; Notes: Honorific term of covenant fidelity.
- וּלְמַ֥עַן (u-le-maʿan) – Form: Conjunction + preposition; Translation: “and for the sake of”; Notes: Introduces second motive.
- יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם (Yerushalayim) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yerushalayim”; Notes: City chosen by YHWH for His Name.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר (ʾasher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces the relative clause describing Yerushalayim.
- בָּחָֽרְתִּי (bacharti) – Root: בחר (b.ḥ.r); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have chosen”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s election of the city for His dwelling.