וְכָמֹהוּ֩ לֹֽא־הָיָ֨ה לְפָנָ֜יו מֶ֗לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֤ב אֶל־יְהוָה֙ בְּכָל־לְבָבֹ֤ו וּבְכָל־נַפְשֹׁו֙ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֹ֔ו כְּכֹ֖ל תֹּורַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֑ה וְאַחֲרָ֖יו לֹֽא־קָ֥ם כָּמֹֽהוּ׃
And like him there was no king before him who turned to YHWH with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Torah of Moshe, nor did any arise after him like him.
Morphology
- וְכָמֹהוּ֩ (ve-kamo-hu) – Root: כמו; Form: Conjunction + preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “And like him”; Notes: Introduces a comparison of uniqueness.
- לֹֽא־הָיָ֨ה (lo-hayah) – Root: היה; Form: Negative particle + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “there was not”; Notes: Denotes nonexistence in the past.
- לְפָנָ֜יו (le-fanav) – Root: פנה; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “before him”; Notes: Indicates temporal precedence.
- מֶ֗לֶךְ (melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “king”; Notes: Refers to all previous kings in comparison.
- אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֤ב (asher-shav) – Root: שוב; Form: Relative pronoun + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “who turned”; Notes: Refers to repentance or return to YHWH.
- אֶל־יְהוָה֙ (el-YHWH) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: Direction of the king’s spiritual return.
- בְּכָל־לְבָבֹ֤ו (be-khol-levavo) – Root: לבב; Form: Preposition + universal quantifier + noun masculine singular with 3rd person suffix; Translation: “with all his heart”; Notes: Indicates emotional and moral commitment.
- וּבְכָל־נַפְשֹׁו֙ (u-ve-khol-nafsho) – Root: נפש; Form: Conjunction + preposition + universal quantifier + noun feminine singular with 3rd person suffix; Translation: “and with all his soul”; Notes: Indicates full personal devotion.
- וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֹ֔ו (u-ve-khol-me’odo) – Root: מאד; Form: Conjunction + preposition + universal quantifier + noun masculine singular with 3rd person suffix; Translation: “and with all his might”; Notes: Total intensity of commitment.
- כְּכֹ֖ל (ke-khol) – Root: כל; Form: Preposition + universal noun; Translation: “according to all”; Notes: Indicates complete conformity.
- תֹּורַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֑ה (torat Mosheh) – Root: ירה; Form: Construct noun feminine singular + proper noun; Translation: “the Torah of Moshe”; Notes: Refers to the Mosaic law as standard of righteousness.
- וְאַחֲרָ֖יו (ve-ʾaḥarav) – Root: אחר; Form: Conjunction + preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and after him”; Notes: Temporal marker for successors.
- לֹֽא־קָ֥ם (lo-qam) – Root: קום; Form: Negative particle + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “there did not arise”; Notes: Indicates no successor matched his character.
- כָּמֹֽהוּ (kamo-hu) – Root: כמו; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “like him”; Notes: Affirms his exceptional devotion.