Maqqēph and Mèthĕg are two key diacritical marks in Biblical Hebrew that influence pronunciation, stress, and syntactic structure. Maqqēph (a small horizontal line) connects two or more words into a single phonetic and accentual unit, applying only one accent across them. It frequently joins monosyllabic prepositions or conjunctions (e.g., אֶל־, עַל־) to following words, but can also link longer forms. Mèthĕg (a vertical stroke under a consonant) marks secondary stress or slows vowel pronunciation, serving both phonological and syntactic functions. It appears in several forms: Light Mèthĕg (in open syllables before the main tone), Firm Mèthĕg (with long vowels before Šewâ or in specific morphological contexts), Grave Mèthĕg or Gaʿyā (emphasizing short vowels or initial Šewâ, especially in poetic books), and Euphonic Gaʿyā (preserving clarity when tones are lost). Mèthĕg also helps distinguish between similar-looking forms with different meanings (e.g., אָֽכְלָ֫ה “she ate” vs. אָכְלָ֫ה “food”). Jewish grammarians often interpret Mèthĕg-marked syllables as closed, treating the following Šewâ as quiescent. Together, Maqqēph and Mèthĕg are essential tools for accurate reading, chanting, and interpretation of the Hebrew Bible.
1. Maqqēph
Maqqēph (מַקֵּף, “binder”) is a small horizontal line connecting two or more words, making them behave as one unit regarding tone and accent. Only one accent is applied across all words connected by Maqqēph.
Examples:
- כָּל־אָדָ֫ם – every man
- אֶת־כָּל־עֵ֫שֶׂב – every herb (Genesis 1)
- אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ – all that he had (Genesis 25)
Commonly joined with monosyllabic prepositions/conjunctions: אֶל־, עַד־, עַל־, עִם־, אַל־, אִם־, מִן־, פֶּן־, unless compounded into longer forms (e.g. מֵעַל, מֵעִם).
Occasionally replaced by a conjunctive accent, e.g. אֶ֥ל כָּל־ (Deuteronomy 27). Maqqēph may also join multisyllabic words or be used between longer forms such as שִׁבְעָֽה־עָשָׂר (seventeen, Genesis 7).
2. Mèthĕg
Mèthĕg (מֶ֫תֶג, “bridle”) is a vertical stroke under a consonant to the left of a vowel, marking secondary stress or slowing the pronunciation of a vowel.
Also known as:
- Maʾarîkh – “lengthener”
- Gaʿyā – “raising” (of voice), further classified as Great or Little Gaʿyā
3. Types of Mèthĕg
A. Light Mèthĕg
Appears usually in open syllables before the main tone:
- Second syllable: הָֽאָדָ֫ם
- Third syllable (if second is closed): הָֽאַרְבָּעִ֫ים
- Ultima with Maqqēph to a toneless initial syllable: בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל
Omitted when the copulative וּ is movable: no וּֽבָנִים or וּֽבְנֵי.
B. Firm (Indispensable) Mèthĕg
Used with:
- Long vowels before Šewâ mobile (e.g. יִֽרְאוּ)
- Closed syllables before Maqqēph (e.g. שָֽׁת־לִי)
- Toneless Ṣere (e.g. אֹ֫הֵֽב)
- Vowels before composite Šewâ (e.g. יַֽעֲמֹד)
- Preformatives of הָיָה or חָיָה with quiescent Šewâ (e.g. יִֽהְיֶה)
- Qameṣ in plural of בַּ֫יִת: בָּֽתִּ֫ים
- אָֽנָּ֫ה (“please”) to prevent mispronunciation
Sometimes converts to a conjunctive accent: בָּ֣תִּים (2 Chronicles 34).
C. Grave Mèthĕg (Gaʿyā)
Used to emphasize short vowels or initial Šewâ:
- With article or prefixes (e.g. הַֽמְסִלָּה, לַֽמְסִלָּה)
- With interrogative הַ (e.g. הַֽאֵלֵךְ)
- With Pathaḥ/Segôl before guttural consonants (e.g. הַֽחַיִּים)
The Šewâ-Gaʿyā (־ְֽ) is prominent in poetic books (תא״ם), especially when the principal tone has no preceding conjunctive accent (e.g. וְֽהָיָ֗ה in Psalm 1).
D. Euphonic Gaʿyā
Used to maintain clear pronunciation when tones are lost or a syllable ends a word:
- וַיִּשָּ֫בַֽע לוֹ (Genesis 24)
- פַּדֶּ֫נָֽה אֲרָם (Genesis 28)
- רֽוּחַֽ־אֵל (Job 33)
- תַּֽדְשֵׁא (Genesis 1)
4. Phonological Function of Mèthĕg
Mèthĕg helps distinguish between long and short vowels, e.g.:
- אָֽכְלָ֫ה – she has eaten (ʾā-khelā)
- אָכְלָ֫ה – food (ʾŏkhlā)
- יִֽרְא֫וּ – they fear
- יִרְא֫וּ – they see
- יִֽשְׁנ֫וּ – they sleep
- יִשְׁנ֫וּ – they repeat
Jewish grammarians typically treat syllables marked with Mèthĕg as not open. They consider the Šewâ quiescent and part of the preceding syllable.
