בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם אֵ֥ין מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֛ישׁ הַיָּשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינָ֖יו יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃
In those days there was no king in Yisraʾel; each man did what was right in his own eyes.
Morphology
- בַּיָּמִ֣ים (bayamim) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine plural definite; Translation: “in the days”; Notes: Prefixed with בְּ (in), indicating time.
- הָהֵ֔ם (hahem) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine plural; Translation: “those”; Notes: Refers back to the time period described.
- אֵ֥ין (ein) – Root: אין (ein); Form: Negative existential particle; Translation: “there was no”; Notes: Denotes absence of something.
- מֶ֖לֶךְ (melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “king”; Notes: Indicates lack of central authority.
- בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (b’Yisra’el) – Root: ישראל (Yisra’el); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “in Yisra’el”; Notes: Specifies the nation of Israel.
- אִ֛ישׁ (ish) – Root: איש (ish); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “each man”; Notes: Refers to individuals acting independently.
- הַיָּשָׁ֥ר (hayashar) – Root: ישר (yashar); Form: Adjective, masculine singular definite; Translation: “right”; Notes: Describes moral perception.
- בְּעֵינָ֖יו (b’eynayv) – Root: עין (ayin); Form: Noun, dual construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in his eyes”; Notes: Subjective moral standard.
- יַעֲשֶֽׂה (ya’aseh) – Root: עשה (asah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he did”; Notes: Indicates ongoing or habitual action.