Deuteronomy 1:17

לֹֽא־תַכִּ֨ירוּ פָנִ֜ים בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט כַּקָּטֹ֤ן כַּגָּדֹל֙ תִּשְׁמָע֔וּן לֹ֤א תָג֨וּרוּ֙ מִפְּנֵי־אִ֔ישׁ כִּ֥י הַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט לֵאלֹהִ֣ים ה֑וּא וְהַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִקְשֶׁ֣ה מִכֶּ֔ם תַּקְרִב֥וּן אֵלַ֖י וּשְׁמַעְתִּֽיו׃

You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great. You shall not be afraid of anyone, for the judgment is God’s. Any matter that is too difficult for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.’

Morphology

1. לֹֽא־תַכִּ֨ירוּ (lo-takkiru) – Root: נכר (nkr); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “You shall not show partiality”; Notes: Refers to impartial judgment.
2. פָנִ֜ים (panim) – Root: פנים (pnym); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “faces”; Notes: Idiomatic for “favoritism.”
3. בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט (bamishpat) – Root: שפט (špṭ); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “in judgment”; Notes: Refers to legal proceedings.
4. כַּקָּטֹ֤ן (kakkaṭon) – Root: קטן (qṭn); Form: Adjective, masculine singular with prefixed preposition; Translation: “the small”; Notes: Refers to a person of lesser status.
5. כַגָּדֹל֙ (kaggadol) – Root: גדל (gdl); Form: Adjective, masculine singular with prefixed preposition; Translation: “the great”; Notes: Refers to a person of higher status.
6. תִּשְׁמָע֔וּן (tishmeʿun) – Root: שמע (šmʿ); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you shall hear”; Notes: Indicates the duty to listen impartially.
7. לֹ֤א תָג֨וּרוּ֙ (lo taguru) – Root: גור (gwr); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you shall not be afraid”; Notes: Prohibits fear in judgment.
8. מִפְּנֵי־אִ֔ישׁ (mipnei-ish) – Root: פנה (pnh) + איש (ʾyš); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular; Translation: “of any man”; Notes: Refers to intimidation by others.
9. כִּ֥י הַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט (ki hamishpat) – Root: שפט (špṭ); Form: Conjunction + noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “for the judgment”; Notes: Emphasizes divine ownership of justice.
10. לֵאלֹהִ֣ים (leʾElohim) – Root: אלה (ʾlh); Form: Noun, masculine plural with prefixed preposition; Translation: “is God’s”; Notes: Refers to YHWH as the ultimate judge.
11. וְהַדָּבָר֙ (vehaddavar) – Root: דבר (dbr); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “and the matter”; Notes: Refers to a specific case or issue.
12. אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִקְשֶׁ֣ה (asher yiqsheh) – Root: קשׁה (qšh); Form: Relative pronoun + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “that is too difficult”; Notes: Refers to a challenging legal case.
13. מִכֶּ֔ם (mikem) – Root: מן (mn) + כּם (km); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “for you”; Notes: Refers to the judges.
14. תַּקְרִב֥וּן (takrivun) – Root: קרב (qrb); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you shall bring”; Notes: Indicates presenting a case.
15. אֵלַ֖י (elai) – Root: אל (ʾl); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Refers to Moshe as the final authority.
16. וּשְׁמַעְתִּֽיו׃ (uʾshemaʿtiv) – Root: שמע (šmʿ); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and I will hear it”; Notes: Moshe offers to resolve difficult cases personally.