Monthly Archives: May 2018

“The Sons of Yitshar: Shelomith the Chief” – A Brief Genealogical Verse in Hebrew

Posted on May 23, 2018 by Hebrew Grammar for Beginners
בְּנֵ֥י יִצְהָ֖ר שְׁלֹמִ֥ית הָרֹֽאשׁ׃ (1 Chronicles 23:18) The sons of Yitshar: Shelomith the chief. Word-by-Word Explanation בְּנֵי – “sons of”Noun in construct form. – Singular: בֵּן (“son”) – Plural: בָּנִים – Construct form: בְּנֵי (“sons of”) This introduces a genealogical list or descent line. יִצְהָר – “Yitshar”Proper noun. Yitshar is a son of Qehat, a grandson of Levi. This is a Levitical genealogical name (see Exodus 6:18). שְׁלֹמִית – “Shelomith”Proper name. The name of a male descendant of Yitshar (despite similar names sometimes being used for women elsewhere).… Learn Hebrew
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Scroll Marginalia: When Moshe Calls Grammar to Order (Onkelos on Deuteronomy 5:1)

Posted on May 22, 2018 by Aramaic Grammar
וּקְרָא משֶׁה לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַאֲמַר לְהוֹן שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יָת קְיָמַיָּא וְיָת דִּינַיָּא דִּי אֲנָא מְמַלֵּל קֳדָמֵיכוֹן יוֹמָא דֵין וְתַלְּפוּן יָתְהוֹן וְתִטְּרוּן לְמֶעְבָּדְהוֹן: And Moshe called to all Yisraʾel and said to them, “Hear, O Yisraʾel, the statutes and the judgments that I am speaking before you today, and you shall learn them and keep them to perform them.” Margins of Authority: The Verse at a Glance This verse marks a turning point—the reintroduction of the Ten Words—but the Targum does not simply restate the moment.… Learn Hebrew
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Desolation Described: Prepositions, Relative Clauses, and Poetic Imagery in Lamentations 5:18

Posted on May 18, 2018 by Biblical Hebrew
עַ֤ל הַר־צִיֹּון֙ שֶׁשָּׁמֵ֔ם שׁוּעָלִ֖ים הִלְּכוּ־בֹֽו׃ (Lamentations 5:18) Upon Mount Zion, which is desolate, foxes walk about it. Desolation’s Location: עַל הַר־צִיּוֹן עַל (“upon”) is a preposition introducing the place affected. הַר־צִיּוֹן — “Mount Tsiyyon (Zion),” a construct phrase with the article prefixed to הַר (“mountain”) and bound to צִיּוֹן (Zion) This locates the tragedy not just geographically but symbolically — Zion was the site of the temple, God’s dwelling place, now devastated. Relative Clause: שֶׁשָּׁמֵם שֶׁ is a relative pronoun (“which, that”) introducing a descriptive clause.… Learn Hebrew
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The Fool Who Folds His Hands: A Hebrew Lesson on Ecclesiastes 4:5

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Hebrew Grammar for Beginners
הַכְּסִיל֙ חֹבֵ֣ק אֶת־יָדָ֔יו וְאֹכֵ֖ל אֶת־בְּשָׂרֹֽו׃ (Ecclesiastes 4:5) The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh. Word-by-Word Explanation הַכְּסִיל — “the fool.” Definite article הַ + noun כְּסִיל (“fool, dullard, senseless one”). חֹבֵק — “folds / embraces.” Qal participle masculine singular from חבק (“to embrace, fold”). Here describing an ongoing or habitual action. אֶת־יָדָיו — “his hands.” Direct object marker אֶת + noun יָד (“hand”) in plural + suffix -ָיו (“his”). וְאֹכֵל — “and eats.” Qal participle masculine singular from אָכַל (“to eat, consume”).… Learn Hebrew
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The Imperative and Infinitive Construct in Ecclesiastes 5:1

Posted on May 1, 2018 by Biblical Hebrew
שְׁמֹ֣ר רגליך כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר תֵּלֵךְ֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְקָרֹ֣וב לִשְׁמֹ֔עַ מִתֵּ֥ת הַכְּסִילִ֖ים זָ֑בַח כִּֽי־אֵינָ֥ם יֹודְעִ֖ים לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות רָֽע׃ Guard your foot when you go to the house of God, and draw near to listen rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know how to do evil. Ecclesiastes 5:1 presents a moral and spiritual exhortation regarding proper conduct when approaching the בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים (beit ha-Elohim, “house of God”). This verse features key grammatical structures such as the imperative form (שְׁמֹר, “guard”) and the infinitive construct (לִשְׁמֹעַ, “to listen”).… Learn Hebrew
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