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Recent Articles
- May God Enlarge Japheth: Syntax, Blessing, and Subordination in Genesis 9:27
- The Plea of the Prophet: Syntax, Intercession, and Covenant Echoes in Deuteronomy 9:26
- The Swift Flight of Life: Syntax and Poetic Motion in Job 9:25
- Fear and Syntax in Giveʿon: Nested Clauses and Theological Strategy in Joshua 9:24
- Wayyiqtol Verbs, Ruach Imagery, and Political Betrayal in Judges 9:23
- Imperatives, Prophetic Syntax, and Stark Imagery in Jeremiah 9:22
- From Ashes to Dust: The Golden Calf in Hebrew Fire and Greek Fragmentation
- Fear and Obedience: How Hebrew “הֵנִיס” Becomes Greek “συνήγαγεν”
- From Dispersion to Destiny: Hebrew “נָפְצָה” and Greek “διεσπάρησαν” in Dialogue
- Wisdom Above Weapons: The Fragility of Goodness in Hebrew and Greek
- Between Offering and Altar: The Grain Sacrifice in Hebrew and Greek
- Grammar Wielded for Glory: The Syntax of Divine Purpose in Exodus 9:16
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Author Archives: Hebraean / Hebraeon
From Ashes to Dust: The Golden Calf in Hebrew Fire and Greek Fragmentation
וְֽאֶת־חַטַּאתְכֶ֞ם אֲשֶׁר־עֲשִׂיתֶ֣ם אֶת־הָעֵ֗גֶל לָקַחְתִּי֮ וָאֶשְׂרֹ֣ף אֹתֹ֣ו בָּאֵשׁ֒ וָאֶכֹּ֨ת אֹתֹ֤ו טָחֹון֙ הֵיטֵ֔ב עַ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־דַּ֖ק לְעָפָ֑ר וָֽאַשְׁלִךְ֙ אֶת־עֲפָרֹ֔ו אֶל־הַנַּ֖חַל הַיֹּרֵ֥ד מִן־הָהָֽר׃
(Deuteronomy 9:21)
Καὶ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ὑμῶν ἣν ἐποιήσατε τὸν μόσχον ἔλαβον αὐτὸν καὶ κατέκαυσα αὐτὸν ἐν πυρὶ καὶ συνέκοψα αὐτὸν καταλέσας σφόδρα ἕως οὗ ἐγένετο λεπτόν καὶ ἐγενήθη ὡσεὶ κονιορτός καὶ ἔρριψα τὸν κονιορτὸν εἰς τὸν χειμάρρουν τὸν καταβαίνοντα ἐκ τοῦ ὄρους (Deuteronomy 9:21 LXX)
Historical and Literary Context
This verse is part of Moshe’s recounting of Israel’s rebellion with the golden calf.… Learn Hebrew
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Fear and Obedience: How Hebrew “הֵנִיס” Becomes Greek “συνήγαγεν”
הַיָּרֵא֙ אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה מֵֽעַבְדֵ֖י פַּרְעֹ֑ה הֵנִ֛יס אֶת־עֲבָדָ֥יו וְאֶת־מִקְנֵ֖הוּ אֶל־הַבָּתִּֽים׃
(Exodus 9:20)
Ὁ φοβούμενος τὸ ῥῆμα Κυρίου τῶν θεραπόντων Φαραω συνήγαγεν τὰ κτήνη αὐτοῦ εἰς τοὺς οἴκους (Exodus 9:20 LXX)
Narrative Frame
This verse sits within the account of the seventh plague — hail descending upon Mitsrayim. The text highlights a distinction within Pharaoh’s servants: some feared the word of YHWH and acted to protect their lives and livestock. What is striking is how the Hebrew and the Greek frame the action of obedience.… Learn Hebrew
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From Dispersion to Destiny: Hebrew “נָפְצָה” and Greek “διεσπάρησαν” in Dialogue
שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה אֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵי־נֹ֑חַ וּמֵאֵ֖לֶּה נָֽפְצָ֥ה כָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
(Genesis 9:19)
Τρεῖς οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ υἱοὶ Νωε ἀπὸ τούτων διεσπάρησαν ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν(Genesis 9:19 LXX)
Setting the Stage
This verse functions as a genealogical hinge in Genesis. After the Flood narrative, the world begins again with the three sons of Noah. Both the Masoretic Hebrew and the Septuagint Greek versions present the fact that from these three sons, the entire earth was populated. Yet, the way they describe this populating reveals nuanced grammatical and theological differences.… Learn Hebrew
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Wisdom Above Weapons: The Fragility of Goodness in Hebrew and Greek
טֹובָ֥ה חָכְמָ֖ה מִכְּלֵ֣י קְרָ֑ב וְחֹוטֶ֣א אֶחָ֔ד יְאַבֵּ֥ד טֹובָ֥ה הַרְבֵּֽה׃
(Ecclesiastes 9:18)
Ἀγαθὴ σοφία ὑπὲρ σκεύη πολέμου καὶ ἁμαρτάνων εἷς ἀπολέσει ἀγαθωσύνην πολλήν (Ecclesiastes 9:18 LXX)
Wisdom and Weapons: Competing Sources of Power
The Hebrew text declares: טֹובָה חָכְמָה מִכְּלֵי קְרָב (“Wisdom is better than weapons of war”). This short but profound statement frames wisdom as superior to military might. The use of כְּלֵי קְרָב (“instruments of battle, weapons of war”) points to the concrete implements of violence — swords, spears, or other tools of conflict.… Learn Hebrew
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Between Offering and Altar: The Grain Sacrifice in Hebrew and Greek
Καὶ προσήνεγκεν τὴν θυσίαν καὶ ἔπλησεν τὰς χεῖρας ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπέθηκεν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον χωρὶς τοῦ ὁλοκαυτώματος τοῦ πρωινοῦ (Leviticus 9:17 LXX)
וַיַּקְרֵב֮ אֶת־הַמִּנְחָה֒ וַיְמַלֵּ֤א כַפֹּו֙ מִמֶּ֔נָּה וַיַּקְטֵ֖ר עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ מִלְּבַ֖ד עֹלַ֥ת הַבֹּֽקֶר׃
The Central Role of the Grain Offering
This verse, drawn from the priestly legislation of Leviticus, describes the presentation of the grain offering (מִנְחָה) alongside the burnt offering of the morning. The Hebrew text uses the technical cultic verb וַיַּקְרֵב (“he brought near”), underscoring the priest’s role in formally presenting an offering before YHWH.… Learn Hebrew
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A Stiff-Necked People: Translation Nuances in Hebrew and Greek
Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος πρός με λελάληκα πρὸς σὲ ἅπαξ καὶ δὶς λέγων ἑώρακα τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον καὶ ἰδοὺ λαὸς σκληροτράχηλός ἐστιν (Deuteronomy 9:13 LXX)
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֣י לֵאמֹ֑ר רָאִ֨יתִי֙ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֖רֶף הֽוּא׃
Framing the Divine Speech
In the Masoretic Text, the verse begins with the direct introduction: וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֵלַי (“And YHWH said to me”), followed by לֵאמֹר (“saying”), the standard Hebrew formula for divine communication. The phrase is formulaic, marking prophetic reception of God’s word, and it emphasizes immediacy: YHWH is speaking directly to Moses in the present narrative.… Learn Hebrew
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The Everlasting Sign: Covenant Language Between Hebrew and Greek
Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς Νωε· τοῦτο τὸ σημεῖον τῆς διαθήκης ὃ ἐγὼ δίδωμι ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον πάσης ψυχῆς ζώσης ἥ ἐστιν μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν εἰς γενεὰς αἰωνίους (Genesis 9:12 LXX)
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים זֹ֤את אֹֽות־הַבְּרִית֙ אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֣י נֹתֵ֗ן בֵּינִי֙ וּבֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵ֛ין כָּל־נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתְּכֶ֑ם לְדֹרֹ֖ת עֹולָֽם׃
The Framing of Covenant in Hebrew and Greek
This verse, situated within the covenant narrative after the flood, is pivotal for understanding how Scripture frames divine-human agreements linguistically. In Hebrew, the language emphasizes God’s act of giving a tangible sign — אֹות־הַבְּרִית (“the sign of the covenant”) — which He places “between Me and you and every living creature with you.”… Learn Hebrew
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When the Magicians Could Not Stand: From Boils to Binding Grammar
Καὶ οὐκ ἠδύναντο οἱ φαρμακοὶ στῆναι ἐναντίον Μωυσῆ διὰ τὰ ἕλκη ἐγένετο γὰρ τὰ ἕλκη ἐν τοῖς φαρμακοῖς καὶ ἐν πάσῃ γῇ Αἰγύπτου (Exodus 9:11 LXX)
וְלֹֽא־יָכְל֣וּ הַֽחַרְטֻמִּ֗ים לַעֲמֹ֛ד לִפְנֵ֥י מֹשֶׁ֖ה מִפְּנֵ֣י הַשְּׁחִ֑ין כִּֽי־הָיָ֣ה הַשְּׁחִ֔ין בַּֽחֲרְטֻמִּ֖ם וּבְכָל־מִצְרָֽיִם׃
The Defeat of Egypt’s Experts in Two Tongues
Exodus 9:11 depicts the collapse of Egyptian magical power under the plague of boils. The Hebrew and Greek texts closely parallel one another, but they introduce subtle variations in terminology and syntax that shape how the event is framed.… Learn Hebrew
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Through the Great and Fearsome Wilderness: From Fiery Serpent to Flowing Spring
Τοῦ ἀγαγόντος σε διὰ τῆς ἐρήμου τῆς μεγάλης καὶ τῆς φοβερᾶς ἐκείνης οὗ ὄφις δάκνων καὶ σκορπίος καὶ δίψα οὗ οὐκ ἦν ὕδωρ τοῦ ἐξαγαγόντος σοι ἐκ πέτρας ἀκροτόμου πηγὴν ὕδατος (Deuteronomy 8:15)
הַמֹּולִ֨יכֲךָ֜ בַּמִּדְבָּ֣ר הַגָּדֹ֣ל וְהַנֹּורָ֗א נָחָ֤שׁ שָׂרָף֙ וְעַקְרָ֔ב וְצִמָּאֹ֖ון אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֵֽין־מָ֑יִם הַמֹּוצִ֤יא לְךָ֙ מַ֔יִם מִצּ֖וּר הַֽחַלָּמִֽישׁ׃
Two Participles Framing Deliverance
In the Hebrew, the verse is framed by two participles: הַמֹּולִיךֲךָ (“the one who led you”) and הַמֹּוצִיא (“the one who brought out”). This creates a grammatical inclusio that ties God’s guidance through danger to His provision of life-giving water.… Learn Hebrew
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Guard Yourself: The Grammar of Memory and Obedience
Πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου τοῦ μὴ φυλάξαι τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ κρίματα καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον
(Deuteronomy 8:11 LXX)
הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֔ פֶּן־תִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לְבִלְתִּ֨י שְׁמֹ֤ר מִצְוֹתָיו֙ וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֣יו וְחֻקֹּתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיֹּֽום׃
Hebrew Warning and Greek Exhortation
In Deuteronomy 8:11, the call is for vigilance against spiritual forgetfulness. Both the Hebrew and Greek express this as a direct address to the hearer, but their constructions reveal subtle differences in how warning and obedience are framed.… Learn Hebrew
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