Grammatical gender is a central organizing principle in Biblical Hebrew. Every noun is inherently either masculine or feminine, and this gender distinction governs how adjectives, pronouns, and especially verbs agree with their subjects. Unlike English, where gender is usually biological or optional (e.g., actor/actress), Hebrew grammar requires gender agreement across the sentence structure, even for inanimate objects.
This article explores the morphological patterns of masculine and feminine endings in both nouns and verbs, their syntactic behavior, and notable irregularities. Understanding these endings not only aids reading fluency and parsing but also reveals poetic and theological nuance in Scripture.
1. Gender in Nouns: The Basic Morphological Patterns
Most Hebrew nouns are classified as either masculine or feminine. While some nouns deviate, there are regular morphological patterns that typically indicate gender.
Masculine Noun Endings
- Default singular form: often unmarked (no special ending)
- Plural ending: -ִים (e.g., סֵפֶר “book” → סְפָרִים “books”)
Feminine Noun Endings
- Common singular endings: -ָה, -ֶת (e.g., תּוֹרָה “instruction”, מִצְוָה “commandment”)
- Plural ending: -וֹת (e.g., תּוֹרוֹת, מִצְוֹת)
These patterns apply to most nouns, though some nouns are biological (their gender aligns with biological sex), while others are grammatical (gender determined by form, not meaning).
Irregular and Ambiguous Nouns
- Some masculine nouns take -וֹת as their plural (e.g., אָבוֹת “fathers” from אָב)
- Some feminine nouns appear masculine in form (e.g., אֶרֶץ “land” is feminine)
- Certain nouns are common gender, functioning as either masculine or feminine depending on context
2. Gender in Verbs: Agreement and Endings
Hebrew verbs change form based on gender, number, and person. Gender agreement is most visible in the second person and third person forms of the Perfect (suffix) conjugation and the Imperfect (prefix) conjugation.
Perfect Tense (Past-Like Aspect)
| Person | Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd sg. | קָטַלְתָּ (you [m.] killed) | קָטַלְתְּ (you [f.] killed) |
| 3rd sg. | קָטַל (he killed) | קָטְלָה (she killed) |
| 2nd pl. | קְטַלְתֶּם (you [m. pl.] killed) | קְטַלְתֶּן (you [f. pl.] killed) |
| 3rd pl. | קָטְלוּ (they [m.] killed) | קָטְלוּ (they [f.] killed – same form) |
Note: In the 3rd person plural of the perfect, the form is identical for masculine and feminine.
Imperfect Tense (Non-Past, Future-Like)
| Person | Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd sg. | תִּקְטֹל (you [m.] will kill) | תִּקְטְלִי (you [f.] will kill) |
| 3rd sg. | יִקְטֹל (he will kill) | תִּקְטֹל (she will kill – same as 2ms) |
| 2nd pl. | תִּקְטְלוּ (you [m. pl.] will kill) | תִּקְטֹלְנָה (you [f. pl.] will kill) |
| 3rd pl. | יִקְטְלוּ (they [m.] will kill) | תִּקְטֹלְנָה (they [f.] will kill) |
Gender distinctions are more consistent and visible in the imperfect than in the perfect. Note that 2fs and 3fs sometimes share identical forms (especially in the perfect), which requires contextual cues for correct parsing.
3. Gender Agreement Across Sentences
Because Hebrew verbs and adjectives agree with their subjects in gender, gender agreement often helps clarify the subject of a clause, especially when pronouns are omitted (a frequent feature in Biblical Hebrew).
Example – Genesis 3:6
וַתִּקַּח מִפִּרְיוֹ וַתֹּאכַל
“And she took of its fruit and she ate”
וַתִּתֵּן גַּם־לְאִישָׁהּ
“And she also gave to her husband”
All the verbs begin with וַתּ־, indicating 3rd person feminine singular. This aligns with the feminine subject (the woman) and provides gender consistency across the verse.
4. Theological and Literary Implications of Gender Forms
While primarily grammatical, gender usage in Hebrew often has literary or theological resonance. Feminine forms are used not only for female persons, but also for:
- Abstract nouns (e.g., חָכְמָה “wisdom” – feminine)
- Personifications (e.g., cities, nations, and Zion are often feminine)
- Poetic emphasis (e.g., feminine verbs used with collective feminine nouns)
Recognizing gender endings can reveal rhetorical features and literary artistry—such as parallelism, irony, or emphasis—especially in prophetic and wisdom texts.
5. Exceptions and Challenges
Hebrew has its share of irregularities and challenges in gender agreement:
- Some plural forms mismatch their apparent gender (e.g., שָׁמַיִם “heavens” is plural and masculine but conceptually treated differently in poetry)
- Feminine plural verbs may appear with mixed-gender subjects, defaulting to masculine
- Some nouns are ambiguous or “common gender,” requiring contextual determination
These exceptions do not undermine the system but require careful attention to syntax and discourse context.
Gender Patterns as Grammatical and Interpretive Cues
Masculine and feminine endings in Hebrew are more than grammatical markers—they are essential tools for coherence, emphasis, and meaning. They regulate subject-verb agreement, govern noun-adjective alignment, and inform the reader’s understanding of the text’s subject, tone, and literary form.
By mastering these endings, students of Biblical Hebrew are better equipped to recognize textual patterns, detect poetic nuance, and interpret Scripture with greater linguistic precision and theological sensitivity.
