Micah 6:2

שִׁמְע֤וּ הָרִים֙ אֶת־רִ֣יב יְהוָ֔ה וְהָאֵתָנִ֖ים מֹ֣סְדֵי אָ֑רֶץ כִּ֣י רִ֤יב לַֽיהוָה֙ עִם־עַמֹּ֔ו וְעִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יִתְוַכָּֽח׃

Hear, O mountains, the contention of YHWH, and you enduring ones, the foundations of the earth, for a contention is to YHWH with His people, and with Yisraʾel He will dispute.

Morphology

1. שִׁמְעוּ (shimʿu) — Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal imperative 2mp; Translation: “Hear”; Notes: Summons the mountains as cosmic witnesses.
2. הָרִים (harim) — Root: הר (har); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “mountains”; Notes: Personified to hear YHWH’s covenant lawsuit.
3. אֶת (et) — Root: את (’et); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: —; Notes: Marks “the contention of YHWH” as the object.
4. רִיב (riv) — Root: ריב (riv); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “contention / lawsuit”; Notes: A technical term for a covenant lawsuit.
5. יְהוָה (YHWH) — Root: הוה (havah); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant God initiating the lawsuit.
6. וְהָאֵתָנִים (ve-ha’etanim) — Root: אתן (etan); Form: Conjunction וְ + definite article הַ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and the enduring ones”; Notes: Refers poetically to ancient, immovable geological structures.
7. מֹסְדֵי (mosdei) — Root: יסד (yasad); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “foundations of”; Notes: Introduces construct relationship with “earth.”
8. אָֽרֶץ (arets) — Root: ארץ (’erets); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “earth”; Notes: Functions as the absolute noun in the construct chain.
9. כִּי (ki) — Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the summons.
10. רִיב (riv) — Root: ריב (riv); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a contention / lawsuit”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis of legal proceeding.
11. לַיהוָה (la-YHWH) — Root: הוה (havah); Form: Preposition לְ + proper divine name; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: Indicates possession: the lawsuit belongs to YHWH.
12. עִם (ʿim) — Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Preposition; Translation: “with”; Notes: Signals an adversarial legal relationship.
13. עַמּוֹ (ammo) — Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “His people”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s covenant people.
14. וְעִם (ve-ʿim) — Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition; Translation: “and with”; Notes: Connects the second party in the legal dispute.
15. יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) — Root: שר (sar) / אל (’el); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Parallels “His people,” emphasizing covenant identity.
16. יִתְוַכָּח (yitvakkah) — Root: וכח (vakhakh); Form: Hitpael imperfect 3ms; Translation: “He will dispute”; Notes: Legal reflexive form, indicating formal litigation.