וָאֹמַ֗ר שִׁמְעוּ־נָא֙ רָאשֵׁ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּקְצִינֵ֖י בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הֲלֹ֣וא לָכֶ֔ם לָדַ֖עַת אֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃
And I said hear now heads of Yaʿaqov and chiefs of the house of Yisraʾel is it not for you to know the judgment.
Morphology
- וָאֹמַר (va-omar) — Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Conjunction וָ + Qal imperfect 1st person singular used as past; Translation: “And I said”; Notes: The lengthened vowel in וָ marks narrative sequencing.
- שִׁמְעוּ (shimʿu) — Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “hear”; Notes: Addressed to multiple leaders, calling for attentive listening.
- נָא (na) — Root: נא (na); Form: Particle of entreaty; Translation: “now”; Notes: Softens the command, expressing urgent appeal.
- רָאשֵׁי (rashei) — Root: ראשׁ (rosh); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “heads of”; Notes: Refers to chief leaders or rulers.
- יַעֲקֹב (Yaʿaqov) — Root: יעקב (Yaʿaqov); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yaʿaqov”; Notes: Represents the nation descended from Yaʿaqov.
- וּקְצִינֵי (u-qetsinei) — Root: קצן (qatsin); Form: Conjunction וּ + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “and chiefs of”; Notes: Parallel term to “heads,” emphasizing leadership.
- בֵּית (beit) — Root: בית (bayit); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “house of”; Notes: Refers to the collective household or people group belonging to Yisraʾel.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) — Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Emphasizes the covenant community.
- הֲלֹוא (halo) — Root: לא (lo); Form: Interrogative particle הֲ + negative particle לֹא; Translation: “is it not”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question expecting affirmation.
- לָכֶם (la-khem) — Root: כם (khem); Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “for you”; Notes: Direct address to the leaders as those responsible.
- לָדַעַת (la-daʿat) — Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Preposition לְ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to know”; Notes: Expresses the duty or obligation of leadership.
- אֶת (et) — Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: “—”; Notes: Marks the following noun as the definite object.
- הַמִּשְׁפָּט (ha-mishpat) — Root: שפט (shafat); Form: Definite article הַ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the judgment”; Notes: Refers to just legal practice expected of leaders.