Job 11:13
אִם־֭אַתָּ֗ה הֲכִינֹ֣ותָ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וּפָרַשְׂתָּ֖ אֵלָ֣יו כַּפֶּֽךָ׃
1. Transliteration
ʾIm-ʾattāh hăkhînōtā libbekha, ûfāraśtā ʾēlāyw kappekha.
2. Literal Translation
If you, you have prepared your heart, and you have spread out your palms toward Him.
3. Grammar Focus: The Conditional Doorway אִם
The verse opens with אִם, meaning “if.” This small word opens a conditional doorway. It tells the reader that the sentence is not simply describing something. It is setting up a condition.
Then comes אַתָּה, “you.” Hebrew does not always need to state the pronoun because the verb often already shows the person. So when the verse says אִם־אַתָּה, the “you” feels pointed and personal.
For beginners, the first movement feels like this: “If you yourself…” The grammar turns the sentence directly toward the listener.
4. A Two-Part Inner-and-Outer Movement
| Movement | Hebrew Phrase | Beginner Insight |
|---|---|---|
| Inner preparation | הֲכִינֹותָ לִבֶּךָ | The heart is made ready or firmly set. |
| Outer gesture | וּפָרַשְׂתָּ אֵלָיו כַּפֶּךָ | The hands are spread toward Him in prayer or appeal. |
The verse moves from the hidden place to the visible gesture: first לִבֶּךָ, “your heart,” then כַּפֶּךָ, “your palm.” Hebrew places inner readiness and bodily prayer side by side.
5. Vocabulary Builder: Heart, Hands, and Direction
| Hebrew Word | Pronunciation | Core Root & Meaning | Ancient Concrete Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| אִם | ʾim | Conditional particle, “if” | It opens a doorway: something follows if the condition is true. |
| הֲכִינֹותָ | hăkhînōtā | Root כ־ו־ן, “to prepare, establish, make firm” | The image is setting something in place so it is ready and steady. |
| לִבֶּךָ | libbekha | From לֵב, “heart” | The inner center of thought, desire, courage, and decision. |
| פָרַשְׂתָּ | fāraśtā | Root פ־ר־שׂ, “to spread out, stretch out” | The hands open outward, like something unfolded before another. |
| כַּפֶּךָ | kappekha | From כַּף, “palm, hollow of the hand” | The open palm becomes a visible sign of appeal, surrender, or request. |
6. Syntax Insight: The Pronoun Makes It Personal
The phrase אִם־אַתָּה literally means “if you.” Because the following verbs already point to “you,” the pronoun adds emphasis. It slows the reader down and points directly at the person being addressed.
Then the two verbs form a balanced pair:
| Verb | Object | What the Phrase Feels Like |
|---|---|---|
| הֲכִינֹותָ | לִבֶּךָ | Prepare the inner self. |
| פָרַשְׂתָּ | כַּפֶּךָ | Spread out the visible hand. |
This gives the verse a beautiful movement: heart first, hands second. The inside is prepared before the outside is lifted.
7. Manuscript Image: The Palm as Prayer
The word כַּפֶּךָ means “your palm.” The palm is the open part of the hand. When the verse says וּפָרַשְׂתָּ אֵלָיו כַּפֶּךָ, it pictures someone spreading open the palm toward Him.
This is not only a mental act. Hebrew gives prayer a bodily shape. The heart is prepared, and the hands become visible signs of turning toward God.
8. Beginner Practice Activity: Inner or Outer?
Decide whether each Hebrew phrase points to the inner person or an outward gesture.
| Hebrew Element | Your Discovery |
|---|---|
| הֲכִינֹותָ לִבֶּךָ | Inner preparation or outward gesture? |
| וּפָרַשְׂתָּ אֵלָיו כַּפֶּךָ | Inner preparation or outward gesture? |
Click to Reveal the Scribal Answer
Answer: הֲכִינֹותָ לִבֶּךָ points to inner preparation, while וּפָרַשְׂתָּ אֵלָיו כַּפֶּךָ points to an outward gesture.
The verse moves from the prepared heart to the spread-out palm. This helps beginners see how Hebrew connects inward readiness with visible action.
Where the Inner Life Becomes Visible
This short verse is built with quiet balance. It begins with אִם, opening a condition. It points directly to the listener with אַתָּה. Then it moves from לִבֶּךָ, “your heart,” to כַּפֶּךָ, “your palm.”
For the beginner, the structure is easy to feel: prepare what is inside, then stretch out what is visible. Hebrew does not separate the inner person from the body. The heart and the hands belong together.
The verse leaves the reader standing in that moment of readiness: the heart made firm, the palms opened, the whole person turned אֵלָיו, “toward Him.”
