וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל הַחֵ֤פֶץ לַֽיהוָה֙ בְּעֹלֹ֣ות וּזְבָחִ֔ים כִּשְׁמֹ֖עַ בְּקֹ֣ול יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֤ה שְׁמֹ֨עַ֙ מִזֶּ֣בַח טֹ֔וב לְהַקְשִׁ֖יב מֵחֵ֥לֶב אֵילִֽים׃
And Shemuʾel said, “Does YHWH delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of YHWH? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vayyoʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces Shemuʾel’s response.
- שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל (Shemuʾel) – Root: שמואל (Shemuʾel); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Shemuʾel”; Notes: The speaker.
- הַחֵ֤פֶץ (ha-ḥefets) – Root: חפץ (ḥefets); Form: Noun, masculine singular, definite; Translation: “Does (He) delight”; Notes: Indicates rhetorical questioning.
- לַֽיהוָה֙ (la-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, divine name, with preposition; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: The subject of delight.
- בְּעֹלֹ֣ות (be-ʿolot) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Noun, feminine plural; Translation: “in burnt offerings”; Notes: Type of sacrifice.
- וּזְבָחִ֔ים (u-zevaḥim) – Root: זבח (zevaḥ); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “and sacrifices”; Notes: Additional form of offering.
- כִּשְׁמֹ֖עַ (ki-shmoaʿ) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “as in obeying”; Notes: Comparison between sacrifices and obedience.
- בְּקֹ֣ול (be-qol) – Root: קול (qol); Form: Noun, masculine singular, with preposition; Translation: “the voice of”; Notes: Refers to divine instruction.
- יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The source of the command.
- הִנֵּ֤ה (hinneh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Draws attention to an important truth.
- שְׁמֹ֨עַ֙ (shmoaʿ) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal infinitive absolute; Translation: “to obey”; Notes: Emphasizes the significance of obedience.
- מִזֶּ֣בַח (mi-zevaḥ) – Root: זבח (zevaḥ); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct, with preposition; Translation: “than sacrifice”; Notes: Establishes a comparison.
- טֹ֔וב (tov) – Root: טוב (tov); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “good”; Notes: Refers to the preferable choice.
- לְהַקְשִׁ֖יב (le-haqshiv) – Root: קשב (qashav); Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to listen”; Notes: Further emphasizes active obedience.
- מֵחֵ֥לֶב (me-ḥelev) – Root: חלב (ḥelev); Form: Noun, masculine singular, with preposition; Translation: “than the fat of”; Notes: Refers to the best portion of sacrifices.
- אֵילִֽים (ʾeilim) – Root: איל (ʾayil); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “rams”; Notes: Used in sacrificial offerings.