וַיֹּ֕אמֶר זֶ֗ה יִֽהְיֶה֙ מִשְׁפַּ֣ט הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִמְלֹ֖ךְ עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֣ם יִקָּ֗ח וְשָׂ֥ם לֹו֙ בְּמֶרְכַּבְתֹּ֣ו וּבְפָרָשָׁ֔יו וְרָצ֖וּ לִפְנֵ֥י מֶרְכַּבְתֹּֽו׃
And he said, “This shall be the judgment of the king who shall reign over you: He will take your sons and set them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots.
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (vayyoʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Refers to Shemuʾel speaking.
- זֶ֗ה (zeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “This”; Notes: Refers to what follows.
- יִֽהְיֶה֙ (yihyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall be”; Notes: Future tense.
- מִשְׁפַּ֣ט (mishpat) – Root: שפט (shafat); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “judgment”; Notes: Describes the king’s rule.
- הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun, masculine singular definite; Translation: “the king”; Notes: The anticipated ruler.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “who”; Notes: Introduces a clause.
- יִמְלֹ֖ךְ (yimlokh) – Root: מלך (malakh); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall reign”; Notes: Future rule.
- עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם (ʿalekhem) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “over you”; Notes: Refers to Yisraʾel.
- אֶת־ (ʾet) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: —; Notes: Marks the object of the verb.
- בְּנֵיכֶ֣ם (beneikhem) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your sons”; Notes: Refers to the people’s children.
- יִקָּ֗ח (yiqqaḥ) – Root: לקח (laqakh); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he will take”; Notes: Future tense.
- וְשָׂ֥ם (ve-sam) – Root: שם (sam); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he will set”; Notes: Sequential action.
- לֹו֙ (lo) – Root: ל (l-); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “for himself”; Notes: Indicates possession.
- בְּמֶרְכַּבְתֹּ֣ו (be-merkavto) – Root: מרכבה (merkavah); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in his chariots”; Notes: Military use.
- וּבְפָרָשָׁ֔יו (u-ve-parashav) – Root: פרש (parash); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and among his horsemen”; Notes: Military force.
- וְרָצ֖וּ (ve-ratsu) – Root: רץ (ratz); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they shall run”; Notes: Indicates swift service.
- לִפְנֵ֥י (lifnei) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Preposition; Translation: “before”; Notes: Indicates position.
- מֶרְכַּבְתֹּֽו (merkavto) – Root: מרכבה (merkavah); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his chariots”; Notes: Royal transportation.