Grammatical gender in Biblical Hebrew isn’t just linguistic—it’s theological and poetic. Every noun, verb, adjective, and pronoun submits to a masculine or feminine identity, often shaping not only syntax but the soul of the text. With masculine as the default and feminine marked by suffixes like –ה or –ת, gender affects agreement, meaning, and even metaphor—like Israel portrayed as a bride despite its masculine form. From מֶלֶךְ to מַלְכָּה, or כָּתַבְתָּ to כָּתַבְתְּ, these subtle distinctions unlock layers of sacred narrative where identity, action, and divine symbolism intermingle through grammar.
Gender as a Grammatical Category
In Biblical Hebrew, gender is a fundamental grammatical feature that applies to nouns, adjectives, verbs, pronouns, and numerals. Every noun is either masculine or feminine, and agreement must be maintained across all related words in a sentence. Unlike English, which only uses gender naturally (e.g., “he” or “she”), Hebrew employs grammatical gender systematically throughout the language structure.
Masculine and Feminine Nouns
Masculine nouns are the default or unmarked form in Hebrew, while feminine forms are typically marked by specific suffixes. However, not all nouns follow regular patterns, and some feminine nouns may appear without overt feminine markers.
| Gender | Common Suffix | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | None (default) | מֶלֶךְ | King |
| Feminine | -ה (־ָה) / -ת (־ֶת) | מַלְכָּה | Queen |
| Feminine | Irregular | אֶרֶץ | Land (feminine) |
Gender Agreement with Adjectives
Adjectives in Biblical Hebrew agree in gender, number, and definiteness with the noun they modify. The masculine adjective form is typically unmarked, while the feminine takes the suffix ־ָה.
Examples:
- דָּבָר גָּדוֹל – “a great word” (masculine noun + masculine adjective)
- תּוֹרָה גְּדוֹלָה – “a great Torah” (feminine noun + feminine adjective)
Gender in Verbs
Verbs in Hebrew conjugate according to gender, especially in the second and third persons. This feature is most visible in the perfect (qatal) and imperfect (yiqtol) conjugations.
| Person | Masculine | Feminine | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Person Singular (Perfect) | כָּתַבְתָּ | כָּתַבְתְּ | You wrote |
| 2nd Person Singular (Imperfect) | תִּכְתֹּב | תִּכְתְּבִי | You will write |
| 3rd Person Singular (Perfect) | כָּתַב | כָּתְבָה | He/She wrote |
Gender in Pronouns
Hebrew personal pronouns also reflect gender. Here are the singular forms:
- אַתָּה – You (masculine)
- אַתְּ – You (feminine)
- הוּא – He
- הִיא – She
Irregularities and Exceptions
Not all nouns follow regular patterns. Some words are feminine without feminine endings, and vice versa. For example:
- אִישׁ (“man”) is masculine, but its plural נָשִׁים (“women”) is feminine despite the irregular form.
- עִיר (“city”) is feminine, although it has no feminine ending.
Gender and Meaning
Sometimes, gender affects meaning. For example, the same root can yield different meanings in different genders:
- זָכָר – male
- נְקֵבָה – female
In poetic or metaphorical contexts, gender is used symbolically. For instance, Yisraʾel is often portrayed as a feminine subject (e.g., a bride), even though grammatically the word is masculine.
Summary
Grammatical gender in Biblical Hebrew is a foundational system that affects virtually every part of speech. Proper understanding of masculine and feminine forms helps readers grasp not only the mechanics of syntax and morphology but also the nuances of biblical meaning, metaphor, and theological symbolism.
