לָ֣מָּה יָשַׁ֗בְתָּ בֵּ֚ין הַֽמִּשְׁפְּתַ֔יִם לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ שְׁרִקֹ֣ות עֲדָרִ֑ים לִפְלַגֹּ֣ות רְאוּבֵ֔ן גְּדֹולִ֖ים חִקְרֵי־לֵֽב׃
Why did you sit among the sheepfolds to hear the whistling of the flocks? Among the divisions of Reʾuven, great were the searchings of heart.
Morphology
- לָ֣מָּה (lammah) – Root: מה (mah); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “Why”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question.
- יָשַׁ֗בְתָּ (yashavta) – Root: ישב (yashav); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “did you sit”; Notes: Indicates a past action.
- בֵּ֚ין (bein) – Root: בין (bein); Form: Preposition; Translation: “among”; Notes: Indicates position.
- הַֽמִּשְׁפְּתַ֔יִם (ha-mishpetayim) – Root: משפת (mishpat); Form: Noun, dual with definite article; Translation: “the sheepfolds”; Notes: Refers to enclosures for livestock.
- לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ (lishmoaʿ) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to hear”; Notes: Expresses purpose.
- שְׁרִקֹ֣ות (sheriqqot) – Root: שרק (sharaq); Form: Noun, feminine plural; Translation: “whistling”; Notes: Refers to the sounds of shepherds or flocks.
- עֲדָרִ֑ים (adarim) – Root: עדר (ʿeder); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “flocks”; Notes: Refers to groups of animals.
- לִפְלַגֹּ֣ות (liflaggot) – Root: פלג (peleg); Form: Noun, feminine plural with preposition; Translation: “Among the divisions of”; Notes: Refers to factions or groups.
- רְאוּבֵ֔ן (Reʾuven) – Root: ראובן (Reʾuven); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Reʾuven”; Notes: Refers to the tribe of Reʾuven.
- גְּדֹולִ֖ים (gedolim) – Root: גדל (gadol); Form: Adjective, masculine plural; Translation: “great”; Notes: Indicates significance.
- חִקְרֵי־לֵֽב׃ (ḥiqrei-lev) – Root: חקר (ḥaqar), לב (lev); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “searchings of heart”; Notes: Refers to deep contemplation or deliberation.