Category Archives: Grammar

Biblical Aramaic Grammar

Second Attempts and Stative Forms: The Peʿal Imperfect in Biblical Aramaic Requests

Posted on July 4, 2025 by Aramaic Grammar
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 demand.… Read the rest
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“If” and “Therefore”: The Syntax and Force of Conditional Particles in Biblical Aramaic

Posted on July 3, 2025 by Aramaic Grammar
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 conditional… Read the rest
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The Emphatic State in Biblical Aramaic: Forceful Nouns, Fearsome Decrees

Posted on July 3, 2025 by Aramaic Grammar
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
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“Tell the Dream”: Aramaic Word Order in Daniel 2:4b

Posted on July 3, 2025 by Aramaic Grammar
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
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