Exodus 18:26

וְשָׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם בְּכָל־עֵ֑ת אֶת־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַקָּשֶׁה֙ יְבִיא֣וּן אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה וְכָל־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַקָּטֹ֖ן יִשְׁפּוּט֥וּ הֵֽם׃

And they shall judge the people at all times; the difficult matter they shall bring to Moshe, but every small matter they shall judge themselves.

Morphology

1. וְשָׁפְט֥וּ (veshaftu) – Root: שׁפט (sh-p-ṭ); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3cp; Translation: “And they shall judge”; Notes: Refers to the appointed leaders judging the people.
2. אֶת־הָעָ֖ם (et-haʿam) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Direct object marker + Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “The people”; Notes: The object of the verb.
3. בְּכָל־עֵ֑ת (bekhol-ʿet) – Root: כל (k-l) + עת (ʿ-t); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “At all times”; Notes: Indicates the continuous nature of their duties.
4. אֶת־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַקָּשֶׁה֙ (et-hadavar hakkasheh) – Root: דבר (d-v-r) + קשׁה (k-sh-h); Form: Direct object marker + Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article + Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “The difficult matter”; Notes: Refers to cases too complex for the appointed leaders.
5. יְבִיא֣וּן (yeviyun) – Root: בוא (b-w-ʾ); Form: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, 3mp with 3ms suffix; Translation: “They shall bring”; Notes: Refers to escalating complex matters to Moshe.
6. אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה (el-Moshe) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + Proper noun; Translation: “To Moshe”; Notes: Indicates the recipient of the difficult cases.
7. וְכָל־הַדָּבָ֥ר (vechol-hadavar) – Root: כל (k-l) + דבר (d-v-r); Form: Conjunction + Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “But every matter”; Notes: Refers to simpler cases.
8. הַקָּטֹ֖ן (hakkatohn) – Root: קטן (q-ṭ-n); Form: Adjective, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “The small”; Notes: Describes cases of lesser complexity.
9. יִשְׁפּוּט֥וּ (yishpetu) – Root: שׁפט (sh-p-ṭ); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3mp; Translation: “They shall judge”; Notes: Refers to the leaders handling minor matters.
10. הֵֽם (hem) – Root: N/A; Form: Pronoun, 3mp; Translation: “Themselves”; Notes: Emphasizes the responsibility of the leaders for smaller cases.