Deuteronomy 16:18

שֹׁפְטִ֣ים וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים תִּֽתֶּן־לְךָ֙ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ לִשְׁבָטֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם מִשְׁפַּט־צֶֽדֶק׃

You shall appoint judges and officers for yourself in all your gates, which YHWH your God gives you, for your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

Morphology

1. שֹׁפְטִ֣ים (shofetim) – Root: שפט (shafat); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “judges”; Notes: Refers to those who administer justice.
2. וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים (ve-shotrim) – Root: שטר (shoter); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “officers”; Notes: Refers to enforcers of the law.
3. תִּֽתֶּן־לְךָ֙ (titten-lekha) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “you shall appoint for yourself”; Notes: Refers to the act of assigning officials.
4. בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ (be-khol sheʿarekha) – Root: שער (shaʿar); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine plural construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in all your gates”; Notes: Refers to the cities or areas under one’s control.
5. אֲשֶׁ֨ר (asher) – Root: אשר (asher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces a subordinate clause.
6. יְהוָ֧ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the divine name of God.
7. אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ (Elohekha) – Root: אלה (ʾeloh); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Refers to the deity of the audience.
8. נֹתֵ֥ן (noten) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “gives”; Notes: Indicates the ongoing action of provision.
9. לְךָ֖ (lekha) – Root: ל־ (l); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Refers to the recipient of the provision.
10. לִשְׁבָטֶ֑יךָ (li-shivatekha) – Root: שבט (shevet); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “for your tribes”; Notes: Refers to the tribal divisions of Israel.
11. וְשָׁפְט֥וּ (ve-shaftu) – Root: שפט (shafat); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they shall judge”; Notes: Refers to the responsibility of the appointed judges.
12. אֶת־ (et) – Form: Direct object marker; Translation: (not translated); Notes: Marks the direct object of the verb.
13. הָעָ֖ם (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Israel.
14. מִשְׁפַּט־ (mishpat) – Root: שפט (shafat); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “judgment of”; Notes: Refers to the act of delivering justice.
15. צֶֽדֶק׃ (tzedek) – Root: צדק (tzadak); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “righteousness”; Notes: Refers to the quality of justice being fair and upright.