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Recent Lessons
- Tense, Threat, and Timing: The Hitpaʿal Imperfect יִשְׁתַּנֵּא in Daniel 2:9
- Buying Time: The Participle זָבְנִין and Present-Tense Action in Biblical Aramaic
- The Peʿal Imperfect as Jussive: Soft Imperatives in the Royal Court
- Second Attempts and Stative Forms: The Peʿal Imperfect in Biblical Aramaic Requests
- “If” and “Therefore”: The Syntax and Force of Conditional Particles in Biblical Aramaic
- The Emphatic State in Biblical Aramaic: Forceful Nouns, Fearsome Decrees
- “Tell the Dream”: Aramaic Word Order in Daniel 2:4b
- Aramaic Alphabet: Origins, Structure, and Legacy
- The Presence of Biblical Aramaic in the Hebrew Tanakh: A Comprehensive Study
- Biblical Aramaic
Category Archives: Grammar & Syntax
Tense, Threat, and Timing: The Hitpaʿal Imperfect יִשְׁתַּנֵּא in Daniel 2:9
דִּ֣י הֵן־חֶלְמָא֩ לָ֨א תְהֹֽודְעֻנַּ֜נִי חֲדָה־הִ֣יא דָֽתְכֹ֗ון וּמִלָּ֨ה כִדְבָ֤ה וּשְׁחִיתָה֙ הַזְמַנְתּ֔וּן לְמֵאמַ֣ר קָֽדָמַ֔י עַ֛ד דִּ֥י עִדָּנָ֖א יִשְׁתַּנֵּ֑א לָהֵ֗ן חֶלְמָא֙ אֱמַ֣רוּ לִ֔י וְֽאִנְדַּ֕ע דִּ֥י פִשְׁרֵ֖הּ תְּהַחֲוֻנַּֽנִי׃
(Daniel 2:9) If you do not make the dream known to me, there is one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak a lying and corrupt word before me until the time changes. Therefore tell… Read the rest
(Daniel 2:9) If you do not make the dream known to me, there is one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak a lying and corrupt word before me until the time changes. Therefore tell… Read the rest
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Buying Time: The Participle זָבְנִין and Present-Tense Action in Biblical Aramaic
עָנֵ֤ה מַלְכָּא֙ וְאָמַ֔ר מִן־יַצִּיב֙ יָדַ֣ע אֲנָ֔ה דִּ֥י עִדָּנָ֖א אַנְתּ֣וּן זָבְנִ֑ין כָּל־קֳבֵל֙ דִּ֣י חֲזֵיתֹ֔ון דִּ֥י אַזְדָּ֖א מִנִּ֥י מִלְּתָֽא׃
(Daniel 2:8) The king answered and said, “Surely I know that you are buying time, because you have seen that the matter has gone from me.” 🔍 A King’s Suspicion and a Syntax of Accusation In Daniel 2:8, King Nebuchadnezzar levels an accusation… Read the rest
(Daniel 2:8) The king answered and said, “Surely I know that you are buying time, because you have seen that the matter has gone from me.” 🔍 A King’s Suspicion and a Syntax of Accusation In Daniel 2:8, King Nebuchadnezzar levels an accusation… Read the rest
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The Peʿal Imperfect as Jussive: Soft Imperatives in the Royal Court
עֲנֹ֥ו תִנְיָנ֖וּת וְאָמְרִ֑ין מַלְכָּ֕א חֶלְמָ֛א יֵאמַ֥ר לְעַבְדֹ֖והִי וּפִשְׁרָ֥ה נְהַחֲוֵֽה׃
(Daniel 2:7) They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will declare its interpretation.” 📌 A Verse of Repetition and Resistance Daniel 2:7 marks a critical moment in the Chaldeans’ dialogue with Nebuchadnezzar. Their second answer does not contain new information—it… Read the rest
(Daniel 2:7) They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will declare its interpretation.” 📌 A Verse of Repetition and Resistance Daniel 2:7 marks a critical moment in the Chaldeans’ dialogue with Nebuchadnezzar. Their second answer does not contain new information—it… Read the rest
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Second Attempts and Stative Forms: The Peʿal Imperfect in Biblical Aramaic Requests
עֲנֹ֥ו תִנְיָנ֖וּת וְאָמְרִ֑ין מַלְכָּ֕א חֶלְמָ֛א יֵאמַ֥ר לְעַבְדֹ֖והִי וּפִשְׁרָ֥ה נְהַחֲוֵֽה׃
(Daniel 2:7) They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will declare its interpretation.” 🗣️ Repetition and Resistance: Analyzing יֵאמַ֥ר in Context In this intense exchange between Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldean advisors, Daniel 2:7 captures a plea phrased as a respectful… Read the rest
(Daniel 2:7) They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will declare its interpretation.” 🗣️ Repetition and Resistance: Analyzing יֵאמַ֥ר in Context In this intense exchange between Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldean advisors, Daniel 2:7 captures a plea phrased as a respectful… Read the rest
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“If” and “Therefore”: The Syntax and Force of Conditional Particles in Biblical Aramaic
וְהֵ֨ן חֶלְמָ֤א וּפִשְׁרֵהּ֙ תְּֽהַחֲוֹ֔ן מַתְּנָ֤ן וּנְבִזְבָּה֙ וִיקָ֣ר שַׂגִּיא תְּקַבְּל֖וּן מִן־קֳדָמָ֑י לָהֵ֕ן חֶלְמָ֥א וּפִשְׁרֵ֖הּ הַחֲוֹֽנִי׃
(Daniel 2:6) But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive gifts and a reward and great honor from me; therefore show me the dream and its interpretation. 🔑 Unlocking Conditional Clauses with הֵן and לָהֵן Daniel 2:6 offers a rich illustration of… Read the rest
(Daniel 2:6) But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive gifts and a reward and great honor from me; therefore show me the dream and its interpretation. 🔑 Unlocking Conditional Clauses with הֵן and לָהֵן Daniel 2:6 offers a rich illustration of… Read the rest
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The Emphatic State in Biblical Aramaic: Forceful Nouns, Fearsome Decrees
עָנֵ֤ה מַלְכָּא֙ וְאָמַ֣ר לְכַשְׂדַּיָּ֔א מִלְּתָ֖א מִנִּ֣י אַזְדָּ֑א הֵ֣ן לָ֤א תְהֹֽודְעוּנַּ֨נִי֙ חֶלְמָ֣א וּפִשְׁרֵ֔הּ הַדָּמִין֙ תִּתְעַבְד֔וּן וּבָתֵּיכֹ֖ון נְוָלִ֥י יִתְּשָׂמֽוּן׃
(Daniel 2:5) The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The matter has departed from me: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be made into pieces, and your houses shall be turned into dung-heaps.”… Read the rest
(Daniel 2:5) The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The matter has departed from me: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be made into pieces, and your houses shall be turned into dung-heaps.”… Read the rest
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“Tell the Dream”: Aramaic Word Order in Daniel 2:4b
וַֽיְדַבְּר֧וּ הַכַּשְׂדִּ֛ים לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲרָמִ֑ית מַלְכָּא֙ לְעָלְמִ֣ין חֱיִ֔י אֱמַ֥ר חֶלְמָ֛א לַעֲבְדָּ֖יךְ וּפִשְׁרָ֥א נְחַוֵּֽא׃
(Daniel 2:4b) And the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” Opening the Aramaic Gateway This verse marks a major structural shift in the Book of Daniel. From Daniel 2:4b through 7:28,… Read the rest
(Daniel 2:4b) And the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” Opening the Aramaic Gateway This verse marks a major structural shift in the Book of Daniel. From Daniel 2:4b through 7:28,… Read the rest
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