וְשָׁפְט֣וּ אֶת־הָעָם֮ בְּכָל־עֵת֒ וְהָיָ֞ה כָּל־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַגָּדֹל֙ יָבִ֣יאוּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְכָל־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַקָּטֹ֖ן יִשְׁפְּטוּ־הֵ֑ם וְהָקֵל֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ וְנָשְׂא֖וּ אִתָּֽךְ׃
And they shall judge the people at all times; and it shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So it will ease your burden, and they will bear it with you.
Morphology
- וְשָׁפְט֣וּ (veshafetu) – Root: שׁפט (sh-p-ṭ); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3mp; Translation: “And they shall judge”; Notes: Refers to the leaders adjudicating disputes.
- אֶת־הָעָם֮ (et-haʿam) – Root: N/A; Form: Direct object marker + Noun, masculine singular construct with definite article; Translation: “The people”; Notes: Specifies the object of the judgment.
- בְּכָל־עֵת֒ (bekhol-ʿet) – Root: עת (ʿ-t); Form: Preposition + Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “At all times”; Notes: Indicates the continuity of judgment.
- וְהָיָ֞ה (vehayah) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3ms; Translation: “And it shall be”; Notes: Introduces the consequence of the arrangement.
- כָל־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַגָּדֹל֙ (kol-haddavar haggadol) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + Adjective, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “Every great matter”; Notes: Refers to significant or complex cases.
- יָבִ֣יאוּ (yaviʾu) – Root: בוא (b-w-ʾ); Form: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, 3mp; Translation: “They shall bring”; Notes: Indicates referral of major issues to Moshe.
- אֵלֶ֔יךָ (ʾelekha) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + Pronoun, 2ms; Translation: “To you”; Notes: Directs the action toward Moshe.
- וְכָל־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַקָּטֹ֖ן (vekhol-haddavar haqqaton) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Form: Conjunction + Noun, masculine singular construct + Adjective, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “But every small matter”; Notes: Refers to minor or straightforward cases.
- יִשְׁפְּטוּ־הֵ֑ם (yishpetu-hem) – Root: שׁפט (sh-p-ṭ); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3mp + Pronoun, 3mp; Translation: “They shall judge”; Notes: Emphasizes delegation to the leaders.
- וְהָקֵל֙ (vehaqel) – Root: קלל (q-l-l); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Hifil, Perfect, 3ms; Translation: “So it will ease”; Notes: Indicates reducing Moshe’s workload.
- מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ (meʿalekha) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + Pronoun, 2ms; Translation: “From you”; Notes: Relates to lifting the burden from Moshe.
- וְנָשְׂא֖וּ (venasʾu) – Root: נשא (n-s-ʾ); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3mp; Translation: “And they will bear”; Notes: Refers to sharing the responsibility.
- אִתָּֽךְ (ʾittakh) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + Pronoun, 2ms; Translation: “With you”; Notes: Indicates partnership in governance.