1 Kings 3:9

וְנָתַתָּ֨ לְעַבְדְּךָ֜ לֵ֤ב שֹׁמֵ֨עַ֙ לִשְׁפֹּ֣ט אֶֽת־עַמְּךָ֔ לְהָבִ֖ין בֵּֽין־טֹ֣וב לְרָ֑ע כִּ֣י מִ֤י יוּכַל֙ לִשְׁפֹּ֔ט אֶת־עַמְּךָ֥ הַכָּבֵ֖ד הַזֶּֽה׃

And You shall give to Your servant a listening heart to judge Your people, to discern between good and evil, for who is able to judge this heavy people of Yours?

Morphology

1. וְנָתַתָּ֨ (ve-natatta) – Root: נתן; Form: Qal perfect 2ms with vav-consecutive (volitive); Translation: “And You shall give”; Notes: Used here in a petitionary tone, expressing a request.
2. לְעַבְדְּךָ֜ (le-ʿavdekha) – Root: עבד; Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular construct + 2ms suffix; Translation: “to Your servant”; Notes: Direct recipient of the petition.
3. לֵ֤ב (lev) – Root: לב; Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “heart”; Notes: Refers to mind, understanding, or inner disposition in biblical Hebrew.
4. שֹׁמֵ֨עַ (shomeaʿ) – Root: שמע; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “listening”; Notes: Describes the desired characteristic of the heart—attentive or discerning.
5. לִשְׁפֹּ֣ט (lishpoṭ) – Root: שפט; Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to judge”; Notes: Expresses purpose for receiving a listening heart.
6. אֶֽת־עַמְּךָ֔ (et-ʿammekha) – Root: עם; Form: Direct object marker + noun, masculine singular construct + 2ms suffix; Translation: “Your people”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s chosen nation.
7. לְהָבִ֖ין (lehavin) – Root: בין; Form: Hiphil infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to discern”; Notes: Purpose or result clause paired with “to judge.”
8. בֵּֽין־טֹ֣וב (bein-tov) – Root: טוב; Form: Preposition + adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “between good”; Notes: Part of a meristic expression.
9. לְרָ֑ע (le-raʿ) – Root: רעע; Form: Preposition + adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “and evil”; Notes: Completes the contrasting pair “good and evil.”
10. כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces rationale or explanation.
11. מִ֤י (mi) – Root: מי; Form: Interrogative pronoun; Translation: “who”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question.
12. יוּכַל֙ (yukhal) – Root: יכל; Form: Qal imperfect 3ms; Translation: “is able”; Notes: Expresses capability.
13. לִשְׁפֹּ֔ט (lishpoṭ) – Root: שפט; Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to judge”; Notes: Repetition reinforces the challenge of ruling justly.
14. אֶת־עַמְּךָ֥ (et-ʿammekha) – Root: עם; Form: Direct object marker + noun + 2ms suffix; Translation: “Your people”; Notes: Repeated object emphasizing YHWH’s ownership.
15. הַכָּבֵ֖ד (ha-kaved) – Root: כבד; Form: Adjective, masculine singular definite; Translation: “the heavy”; Notes: Can imply “important,” “honorable,” or “burdensome.”
16. הַזֶּֽה (hazzeh) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies the referent, pointing to the nation at hand.