וְעַתָּ֞ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל שְׁ֠מֹר לְעַבְדְּךָ֨ דָוִ֤ד אָבִי֙ אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבַּ֤רְתָּ לֹּו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹא־יִכָּרֵ֨ת לְךָ֥ אִישׁ֙ מִלְּפָנַ֔י יֹשֵׁ֖ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל רַ֠ק אִם־יִשְׁמְר֨וּ בָנֶ֤יךָ אֶת־דַּרְכָּם֙ לָלֶ֣כֶת לְפָנַ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלַ֖כְתָּ לְפָנָֽי׃
And now, YHWH, God of Yisraʾel, keep for Your servant Dawid my father what You spoke to him, saying: A man shall not be cut off for you from before Me, sitting on the throne of Yisraʾel, only if your sons keep their way, to walk before Me as you have walked before Me.
Morphology
- וְעַתָּ֞ה (ve-ʿatta) – Root: עת; Form: Conjunction + adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Transitional phrase introducing a petition.
- יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Direct address.
- אֱלֹהֵ֣י (Elohei) – Root: אלהים; Form: Construct masculine plural noun; Translation: “God of”; Notes: Construct with Yisraʾel.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Covenant nation.
- שְׁמֹר (shemor) – Root: שׁמר; Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “keep”; Notes: Plea for God to maintain His promise.
- לְעַבְדְּךָ (leʿavdekha) – Root: עבד; Form: Preposition + masculine singular noun with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “for Your servant”; Notes: Refers to Dawid.
- דָוִד (Dawid) – Root: דוד; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Dawid”; Notes: King of Yisraʾel.
- אָבִי (avi) – Root: אב; Form: Masculine singular noun with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my father”; Notes: Refers to Shelomoh’s father.
- אֵת (et) – Root: את; Form: Direct object marker; Translation: [not translated]; Notes: Marks object of “keep.”
- אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ (ʾasher dibbarta) – Root: אמר; Form: Relative pronoun + Piel perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “which You spoke”; Notes: Emphasizes divine promise.
- לּוֹ (lo) – Root: לו; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Dawid.
- לֵאמֹר (lemor) – Root: אמר; Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct quotation.
- לֹא־יִכָּרֵת (lo-yikkaret) – Root: כרת; Form: Negative particle + Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall not be cut off”; Notes: Passive form implying divine preservation.
- לְךָ (lekha) – Root: לך; Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “for you”; Notes: Refers to Dawid.
- אִישׁ (ʾish) – Root: איש; Form: Masculine singular noun; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Refers to a male descendant/heir.
- מִלְּפָנַי (mil-lefanai) – Root: פנים; Form: Preposition + masculine plural noun with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “from before Me”; Notes: Implies divine approval and presence.
- יֹשֵׁב (yoshev) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “sitting”; Notes: Refers to ruling or reigning.
- עַל־כִּסֵּא (ʿal-kisse) – Root: כסא; Form: Preposition + masculine singular noun; Translation: “on the throne of”; Notes: Royal seat of authority.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Nation ruled by Dawid’s house.
- רַק (raq) – Root: רק; Form: Adverb; Translation: “only”; Notes: Introduces a condition.
- אִם־יִשְׁמְרוּ (im-yishmeru) – Root: שׁמר; Form: Conditional particle + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “if they keep”; Notes: Conditional clause referring to Dawid’s sons.
- בָנֶיךָ (vaneikha) – Root: בן; Form: Masculine plural noun with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your sons”; Notes: Descendants of Dawid.
- אֶת־דַּרְכָּם (et-darkam) – Root: דרך; Form: Direct object marker + masculine singular noun with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their way”; Notes: Refers to their conduct or behavior.
- לָלֶכֶת (laleḵet) – Root: הלך; Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to walk”; Notes: Figurative for lifestyle or obedience.
- לְפָנַי (lefanai) – Root: פנים; Form: Preposition + masculine plural noun with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “before Me”; Notes: Walking in YHWH’s presence indicates obedience.
- כַּאֲשֶׁר (kaʾasher) – Root: אשר; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “as / just as”; Notes: Introduces comparison.
- הָלַכְתָּ (halakhta) – Root: הלך; Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you walked”; Notes: Refers to Dawid’s own obedience.
- לְפָנָי (lefanai) – Root: פנים; Form: Preposition + masculine plural noun with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “before Me”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes the model of obedience.