אַחַ֤ת שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהוָה֮ אֹותָ֪הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־֭יְהוָה כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י לַחֲזֹ֥ות בְּנֹֽעַם־֝יְהוָ֗ה וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֹֽו׃
One thing I have asked from YHWH, that I seek: my dwelling in the house of YHWH all the days of my life, to behold the pleasantness of YHWH, and to inquire in His temple.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | אַחַת | ʾaḥat | “one” | Numeral fs |
| 2 | שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי | shaʾalti | “I have asked” | Qal perfect 1cs |
| 3 | מֵֽאֵת־ | meʾet | “from” | Prep מִן + particle אֵת |
| 4 | יְהוָה | YHWH | “YHWH” | Proper noun |
| 5 | אֹותָהּ | ʾotah | “it” | Independent pronoun 3fs |
| 6 | אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ | ʾavaqqesh | “I seek” | Piel imperfect 1cs |
| 7 | שִׁבְתִּי | shivti | “my dwelling” | Qal infinitive construct + suffix 1cs |
| 8 | בְּבֵית־ | be-veit | “in the house of” | Prep בְּ + N(ms) construct |
| 9 | יְהוָה | YHWH | “YHWH” | Proper noun |
| 10 | כָּל־ | kol | “all of” | N(ms) construct |
| 11 | יְמֵ֣י | yemei | “days of” | N(mp) construct |
| 12 | חַיַּי | ḥayyai | “my life” | N(mp) + suff 1cs |
| 13 | לַחֲזֹ֥ות | la-ḥazot | “to behold” | Prep לְ + Qal infinitive construct |
| 14 | בְּנֹֽעַם־ | be-noʿam | “the pleasantness of” | Prep בְּ + N(ms) construct |
| 15 | יְהוָה | YHWH | “YHWH” | Proper noun |
| 16 | וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר | u-levaqqer | “and to inquire” | Conj וּ + Prep לְ + Piel infinitive construct |
| 17 | בְּהֵיכָלֹֽו | be-heikhalo | “in His temple” | Prep בְּ + N(ms) + suff 3ms |
Morphology
- אַחַת (ʾaḥat) – Root: אחד (ʾaḥad); Root Type: Strong; Form: Numeral feminine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Fronted for emphasis, highlighting the single focused request.
- שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי (shaʾalti) – Root: שׁאל (shaʾal); Root Type: I-Guttural; Binyan: Qal; Form: Perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I have asked”; Notes: Expresses a completed petition directed to YHWH.
- מֵֽאֵת־ (meʾet) – Root: N/A; Root Type: N/A; Form: Preposition מִן + particle אֵת; Translation: “from”; Notes: Marks source, indicating that the request is made from YHWH.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: N/A; Root Type: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The personal covenant name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- אֹותָהּ (ʾotah) – Root: N/A; Root Type: N/A; Form: Independent pronoun 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it”; Notes: Refers back to the single request introduced by אַחַת.
- אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ (ʾavaqqesh) – Root: בקשׁ (baqqesh); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Piel; Form: Imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I seek”; Notes: Expresses ongoing pursuit of the request already stated.
- שִׁבְתִּי (shivti) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Root Type: I-Yod; Binyan: Qal; Form: Infinitive construct + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “my dwelling”; Notes: Functions as the content of the request, expressing abiding or dwelling.
- בְּבֵית־ (be-veit) – Root: בית (bayit); Root Type: Hollow; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular construct (state: construct); Translation: “in the house of”; Notes: Introduces the construct chain locating the dwelling in relation to YHWH.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: N/A; Root Type: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Completes the construct chain, identifying the house as belonging to YHWH.
- כָּל־ (kol) – Root: כל (kol); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun masculine singular construct (state: construct); Translation: “all of”; Notes: Opens the temporal expression that follows.
- יְמֵ֣י (yemei) – Root: יום (yom); Root Type: Hollow; Form: Noun masculine plural construct (state: construct); Translation: “days of”; Notes: Forms a construct relationship with the following noun carrying the pronominal suffix.
- חַיַּי (ḥayyai) – Root: חיה (ḥayah); Root Type: III-He; Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “my life”; Notes: The plural form is idiomatic for one’s lifetime or lifespan.
- לַחֲזֹ֥ות (la-ḥazot) – Root: חזה (ḥazah); Root Type: III-He; Binyan: Qal; Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “to behold”; Notes: Expresses purpose, explaining why the speaker desires to dwell in YHWH’s house.
- בְּנֹֽעַם־ (be-noʿam) – Root: נעם (naʿam); Root Type: I-Nun; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular construct (state: construct); Translation: “the pleasantness of”; Notes: Denotes pleasantness, beauty, or delight associated with YHWH.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: N/A; Root Type: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Completes the construct chain and identifies the object of contemplation.
- וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר (u-levaqqer) – Root: בקר (baqar); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Piel; Form: Conjunction וּ + preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “and to inquire”; Notes: Adds a second purpose, expressing attentive seeking or meditative inquiry in the divine presence.
- בְּהֵיכָלֹֽו (be-heikhalo) – Root: היכל (heikhal); Root Type: Strong; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “in His temple”; Notes: Refers to the sacred dwelling place belonging to YHWH.