וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל אַל־תַּבֵּ֧ט אֶל־מַרְאֵ֛הוּ וְאֶל־גְּבֹ֥הַּ קֹומָתֹ֖ו כִּ֣י מְאַסְתִּ֑יהוּ כִּ֣י לֹ֗א אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִרְאֶה֙ הָאָדָ֔ם כִּ֤י הָֽאָדָם֙ יִרְאֶ֣ה לַעֵינַ֔יִם וַיהוָ֖ה יִרְאֶ֥ה לַלֵּבָֽב׃
And YHWH said to Shemuʾel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For it is not as man sees, for man sees with the eyes, but YHWH sees into the heart.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (vayyoʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Refers to YHWH speaking.
- יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The subject of the verb.
- אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל (el-Shemuʾel) – Root: שמואל (Shemuʾel); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “to Shemuʾel”; Notes: The recipient of YHWH’s command.
- אַל־תַּבֵּ֧ט (ʾal-tabbet) – Root: נבט (navat); Form: Hifil imperfect jussive 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “Do not look”; Notes: A command to Shemuʾel.
- אֶל־מַרְאֵ֛הוּ (el-marʾehu) – Root: מראה (marʾeh); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “at his appearance”; Notes: Refers to outward looks.
- וְאֶל־גְּבֹ֥הַּ (ve-el-gevohaḥ) – Root: גבה (gavah); Form: Adjective, masculine singular construct; Translation: “and at the height of”; Notes: Describes physical stature.
- קֹומָתֹ֖ו (qomato) – Root: קומה (qomah); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his stature”; Notes: Refers to his physical height.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason.
- מְאַסְתִּ֑יהוּ (meʾastihu) – Root: מאס (maʾas); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “I have rejected him”; Notes: YHWH’s rejection of this individual.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces further explanation.
- לֹ֗א (loʾ) – Root: לא (loʾ); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following clause.
- אֲשֶׁ֤ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “as”; Notes: Introduces a comparison.
- יִרְאֶה֙ (yirʾeh) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “man sees”; Notes: Describes human perception.
- הָאָדָ֔ם (ha-adam) – Root: אדם (adam); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “the man”; Notes: Refers to humans in general.
- כִּ֤י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Provides further reasoning.
- הָֽאָדָם֙ (ha-adam) – Root: אדם (adam); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “man”; Notes: Repeats the subject for emphasis.
- יִרְאֶ֣ה (yirʾeh) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “sees”; Notes: Refers to the limitations of human vision.
- לַעֵינַ֔יִם (la-ʿeinayim) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun, dual absolute with preposition; Translation: “with the eyes”; Notes: Contrasts human sight with divine insight.
- וַיהוָ֖ה (vay-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “but YHWH”; Notes: Contrastive conjunction.
- יִרְאֶ֥ה (yirʾeh) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “sees”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s perception.
- לַלֵּבָֽב׃ (la-levav) – Root: לבב (levav); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with preposition; Translation: “into the heart”; Notes: Highlights YHWH’s deeper understanding.