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Recent Articles
- The Grammar of Divine Meteorology: Syntax and Pragmatic Force in Jeremiah 10:13
- When the Sun Stood Still: Syntax and Command in Joshua 10:12
- Woven with Wonder: Syntax and Embodied Imagery in Job 10:11
- The Wink and the Wound: Syntax, Parallelism, and Irony in Proverbs 10:10
- The Grammar of Surprise: The Wayyiqtol Chain and Temporal Progression in Joshua 10:9
- The Birth of Power: The Grammar of Beginning and Becoming in Genesis 10:8
- Genealogical Syntax and the Grammar of Nations in Genesis 10:7
- Do Not Mourn as Others Do: Restraint and Reverence in the Aftermath of Fire
- The Blast and the Camp: Exploring Hebrew Commands and Movement in Numbers 10:5
- If You Refuse: The Threat of the Locusts in Translation
- Trumpet Blasts and Assembly Syntax in Numbers 10:3
- Right and Left: A Beginner’s Guide to Hebrew Word Order in Ecclesiastes 10:2
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Author Archives: Heinrich Friedrich Wilhelm Gesenius
4. Division and Arrangement of the Grammar
The study of Hebrew grammar is systematically divided according to the three essential components of every language:
Sounds — represented by letters and joined into syllables
Words — formed from roots and structured by rules of inflexion
Sentences — composed of words arranged by syntactic laws
1. The Elements: Sounds and Writing
This foundational section addresses:
The nature and interrelation of Hebrew sounds
Their representation through written letters
Correct pronunciation of the letters (orthoepy)
The standard orthography of the Hebrew script
It also examines the combination of sounds into syllables and words, establishing the rules governing:
Sound formation and modification
Syllabic structure
Phonological processes within the Hebrew lexicon
2.… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Grammar
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3. Grammatical Treatment of the Hebrew Language
The development of Hebrew grammar and textual tradition spans centuries, beginning with early translations like the Greek Septuagint and Aramaic Targums, which reflected interpretive and liturgical needs during the decline of ancient Hebrew. The Masoretic tradition later standardized the Hebrew Bible through vowel pointing and critical annotations, though scholars debate whether it stems from a single recension. From the 10th century onward, Jewish grammarians—drawing on Arabic models—systematized Hebrew grammar, a tradition continued by Christian Hebraists and expanded through comparative Semitic linguistics in the 17th century.… Learn Hebrew
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2. Sketch of the History of the Hebrew Language
The history of the Hebrew language is a complex interplay of identity, sacred tradition, and linguistic evolution. Originally unnamed in the Old Testament, Hebrew was later termed יְהוּדִית (“the Jews’ language”) and ἑβραϊστί, although often used interchangeably with Aramaic. Rooted in the broader Canaanite linguistic sphere, Hebrew shares deep affinities with Phoenician but developed a standardized literary form remarkably consistent in consonantal structure. Early inscriptions like the Moabite Stone and Siloam Inscription provide rare glimpses into ancient usage. The language underwent two main periods—pre-exilic and post-exilic—marked by stylistic shifts and growing Aramaic influence.… Learn Hebrew
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1. The Semitic Languages in General
The Semitic languages form a vast, historically influential linguistic family originating in Western Asia, encompassing Hebrew, Arabic, Aramaic, and the extinct tongues of Assyria, Phoenicia, and Babylonia. Spanning from the Mediterranean to southern Arabia and spreading as far as Carthage and Abyssinia, they are subdivided into four primary branches: South Semitic (Arabic and Ethiopian), Middle Semitic (Canaanitish), North Semitic (Aramaic), and East Semitic (Akkadian). These languages share core features—triliteral roots, consonantal emphasis, minimal compounding, and streamlined syntax—while varying in grammatical complexity and preservation.… Learn Hebrew
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