Suffix Pronouns and Their Relation to Both Nouns and Verbs in Biblical Hebrew

In Biblical Hebrew, suffix pronouns (כִּנּוּיִים חֲבוּרִים) serve as critical grammatical tools, attaching to both nouns and verbs to express possession, direct objects, and sometimes even indirect relations. Unlike English, where pronouns are usually separate words (e.g., “his,” “them”), Biblical Hebrew incorporates them directly onto the end of words. This article explores the forms, functions, and syntactic behaviors of suffix pronouns as they relate to both nominal and verbal structures, revealing their essential role in Biblical expression and style.

Overview of Suffix Pronouns

Suffix pronouns are bound forms of personal pronouns that attach to nouns, prepositions, and verbs. They are inflected for:

• Person (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
• Gender (masculine or feminine, in 2nd and 3rd person)
• Number (singular or plural)

They have different morphological patterns depending on whether they attach to nouns, verbs, or prepositions.

Suffix Pronouns on Nouns: Possession

When attached to a noun, a suffix pronoun indicates possession. This is the primary method for saying “his house,” “your sword,” or “our God” in Biblical Hebrew.

Examples:

• בֵּיתִי — “my house” (from בַּיִת + י)
• סִפְרְךָ — “your (m.s.) book”
• עַבְדּוֹ — “his servant”
• אֵלֹהֵינוּ — “our God”

Notes:

• Suffixes often require the noun to take construct-like forms, such as vowel reduction or changes (e.g., בַּיִת → בֵּית־).
• Some nouns exhibit irregular forms when joined with suffixes (e.g., אָב → אֲבִיךָ).

Function: These forms express ownership, familial relation, or allegiance, and are extremely common in poetry and legal texts.

Suffix Pronouns on Verbs: Direct Object

When attached to a verb, a suffix pronoun usually represents a direct object.

Examples:

• רְאִיתִיךָ — “I saw you (m.s.)”
• קְרָאוּהוּ — “They called him”
• שְׁלָחַנִי — “He sent me”

Notes:

• The verb is typically in Perfect or Imperative forms when suffixes are used.
• The suffix agrees in person, number, and gender with the object, not the subject.

Function: This structure makes verbs syntactically dense, conveying both action and object within one word.

Suffix Pronouns on Prepositions

Prepositions such as אֵת, עִם, לְ, and בְּ commonly take suffix pronouns to form prepositional phrases indicating relationships, accompaniment, destination, etc.

Examples:

• אִתּוֹ — “with him”
• לָךְ — “to you (f.s.)”
• בִּי — “in me”
• עָלֵיהֶם — “upon them”

Notes:

• Some prepositions undergo vowel changes or contractions when joined to suffixes (e.g., עִם → אִתּ).
• This form is essential in both narrative and poetic structures to describe relationships and locations.

Complete Chart of Suffix Pronouns

Suffix Pronouns and Word Order

Because suffix pronouns attach directly to words, they affect syntactic order and can even influence emphasis. For example:

אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם — “I am the LORD your God”
Here, אֱלֹהֵיכֶם combines a noun in construct (אֱלֹהֵי) with the suffix pronoun כֶם.

In poetic lines, suffixes often occupy positions of prominence:

כִּ֤י אִתְּךָ֣ מְקוֹר־חַיִּים — “For with You is the fountain of life” (Psalm 36:9)
The suffix ־ךָ (you) is fused with the preposition אֵת (with), forming אִתְּךָ.

Verbs with Two Pronouns

Sometimes, a verb may express both subject and object in one form:

שְׁלָחַנִי — “He sent me”
Subject: 3rd person (implied by verb form), Object: 1st person suffix.

This compression is a hallmark of Hebrew’s verbal economy and is particularly common in prophetic speech and narrative summaries.

A Language of Fusion

Suffix pronouns illustrate the synthetic nature of Biblical Hebrew. Instead of stringing together discrete pronouns and prepositions, Hebrew fuses relationships into single words, producing a compact and nuanced grammar. Whether indicating possession, expressing direct objects, or forming relational prepositional phrases, suffix pronouns contribute to the poetic density and theological depth of the biblical text. Mastery of their forms and functions reveals not only syntactic elegance, but also the power of a language rooted in covenantal and relational expression.