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Recent Articles
- Proverbs and Their Grammatical Structure
- Descending into Night: Time Expressions and Poetic Parallelism in Biblical Hebrew
- The Tiberian Vowel System
- When God Speaks: The Syntax of Divine Speech Frames in Biblical Hebrew
- The Role of Gutturals (א, ה, ח, ע) in Verb Conjugation
- “Into the Ark Together”: Order, Gender, and Cause in the LXX Rendering of Noah’s Entry
- Burning Beneath the Pot: Simile Syntax and Semantic Force in Ecclesiastes 7:6
- Gutturals in Biblical Hebrew
- Guarded by Grammar: Purpose Clauses and Verbal Suffixes in Proverbs 7:5
- And They Fled Before the Men of ʿAi”: A Hebrew Battle Surprise
- Theophoric Names in the Hebrew Bible: Divine Elements in Human Identity
- “Go Out to Meet Ahaz”: A Hebrew Mission in Isaiah 7:3
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Author Archives: Biblical Hebrew
The Demonstrative זֹאת as Subject: Deixis and Emphasis in Ezekiel 5:5
כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֔ה זֹ֚את יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם בְּתֹ֥וךְ הַגֹּויִ֖ם שַׂמְתִּ֑יהָ וּסְבִיבֹותֶ֖יהָ אֲרָצֹֽות׃
Ezekiel 5:5 opens with a demonstrative pointer that doubles as the subject: זֹאת יְרוּשָׁלִַם—“This is Jerusalem.” But unlike simple identification, the Hebrew demonstrative here carries rhetorical and prophetic force. It draws the audience’s attention like a finger pointing in space. In Biblical Hebrew, demonstratives like זֹאת are more than grammatical tools—they’re deictic beacons that frame significance.
This verse also includes a verbal form with a pronominal suffix (שַׂמְתִּיהָ), placing Jerusalem at the center of divine intention: “I have set her among the nations.”… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb גָּרַם: To Cause, Bring About, or Result In
The Hebrew verb גָּרַם (root: ג-ר-ם) means “to cause,” “to bring about,” or “to result in.” It conveys the idea of producing an outcome, especially one that happens indirectly. In Biblical Hebrew, it may also carry the meaning of “dragging along” or “drawing,” while in Rabbinic and Modern Hebrew, it develops the abstract sense of “causation.”
This verb is primarily used in the Qal binyan, meaning “to cause,” and in Modern Hebrew it also appears frequently in common speech and formal writing.… Learn Hebrew
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Verbs of Begetting: The Syntax of Sequential Wayyiqtol in Genealogies
וַיִּֽהְי֣וּ יְמֵי־אָדָ֗ם אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הֹולִידֹ֣ו אֶת־שֵׁ֔ת שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה מֵאֹ֖ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיֹּ֥ולֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֹֽות׃
At first glance, Genesis 5:4 may seem like a simple entry in the antediluvian genealogy of Adam: he lived 800 years after fathering Seth, and he fathered sons and daughters. Yet beneath this record lies a grammatical rhythm that governs much of biblical narrative prose—the sequence of wayyiqtol verbs. These verb forms not only tell the story—they move it.
In this article, we delve into the dynamics of the wayyiqtol (the narrative preterite) and examine how its sequencing creates the very pulse of biblical time, especially in genealogical texts.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb גָּעְגַּע: To Long For, Yearn, or Miss
The verb גָּעְגַּע (root: ג-ע-ג) means “to long for,” “to yearn,” or “to miss deeply.” It expresses an intense emotional desire, often toward someone who is absent. This verb is highly expressive and poetic in nature, conveying emotional attachment and deep internal yearning.
It typically appears in the Hitpael or Hithpael stem (reflexive-intensive), as in הִתְגַּעְגֵּעַ, meaning “he yearned” or “he longed.”
גָּעְגַּע Does Not Appear in the Tanakh
The verb גָּעְגַּע does not appear in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible).… Learn Hebrew
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Hidden Defilement, Known Guilt: Conditional Clauses and Ritual Awareness in Leviticus 5:3
אֹ֣ו כִ֤י יִגַּע֙ בְּטֻמְאַ֣ת אָדָ֔ם לְכֹל֙ טֻמְאָתֹ֔ו אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִטְמָ֖א בָּ֑הּ וְנֶעְלַ֣ם מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְה֥וּא יָדַ֖ע וְאָשֵֽׁם׃
Contextual Introduction
Leviticus 5:3 appears in a section addressing unintentional sins and their required expiations. This verse considers a scenario in which someone becomes ritually impure through contact with human defilement, remains unaware of it initially, but later comes to know and is considered guilty. The grammar is structured to build conditional progression, with key temporal and causal relationships between physical contact, knowledge, and culpability.
Grammatical Focus: Disjunctive אוֹ-Clause, Sequential Verbs, and Legal Causality
1.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb גָּנַן: To Shield, Cover, or Defend
The Hebrew verb גָּנַן (root: ג-נ-ן) means “to shield,” “to cover,” or “to protect.” It is often used in poetic and prophetic contexts to describe divine protection—particularly God’s shielding of His people, city, or sanctuary. The imagery behind the root involves enclosing or surrounding something to keep it safe.
This verb typically appears in the Qal and Pual stems:
– Qal: to shield, to cover (rare)
– Pual: to be shielded, to be surrounded (passive or intensive)
It is related to the noun מָגֵן (shield) and shares thematic connections with protection and defense.… Learn Hebrew
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Exodus 5:2 – Interrogative Pronoun, Relative Clause, and Double Negation
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֔ה מִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶשְׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹלֹ֔ו לְשַׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לֹ֤א יָדַ֨עְתִּי֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה וְגַ֥ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹ֥א אֲשַׁלֵּֽחַ׃
And Parʿo said, “Who is YHWH that I should listen to His voice to send Yisraʾel? I do not know YHWH, and also I will not send Yisraʾel.”
Explanation of Feature
This verse from Exodus 5:2 showcases several important grammatical structures in Biblical Hebrew:
The interrogative pronoun מִי (“Who?”) introduces a rhetorical question.
A relative clause follows, introduced by אֲשֶׁר, modifying יְהוָה.
The verse also uses double negation (לֹא יָדַעְתִּי, לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחַ) to emphasize rejection of both YHWH’s authority and the command.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb גָּנַב: To Steal or Deceive
The Hebrew verb גָּנַב (root: ג-נ-ב) means “to steal,” “to carry away secretly,” or “to deceive” in certain contexts. It is most often used in the context of theft—whether property, people (as in kidnapping), or abstractly in acts of stealth and trickery.
This verb appears primarily in the Qal binyan for basic theft and in the Pual (to be stolen). It is often found in legal texts, commandments, and narratives involving wrongdoing.
Qal Binyan Conjugation of גָּנַב (“to steal”)
Past (Perfect) Tense
Person
Form
1st person singular
גָּנַבְתִּי
2nd person masculine singular
גָּנַבְתָּ
2nd person feminine singular
גָּנַבְתְּ
3rd person masculine singular
גָּנַב
3rd person feminine singular
גָּנְבָה
1st person plural
גָּנַבְנוּ
2nd person masculine plural
גְּנַבְתֶּם
2nd person feminine plural
גְּנַבְתֶּן
3rd person plural
גָּנְבוּ
Present (Participle) Tense
Gender/Number
Form
Masculine singular
גּוֹנֵב
Feminine singular
גּוֹנֶבֶת
Masculine plural
גּוֹנְבִים
Feminine plural
גּוֹנְבוֹת
Future (Imperfect) Tense
Person
Form
1st person singular
אֶגְנֹב
2nd person masculine singular
תִּגְנֹב
2nd person feminine singular
תִּגְנְבִי
3rd person masculine singular
יִגְנֹב
3rd person feminine singular
תִּגְנֹב
1st person plural
נִגְנֹב
2nd person masculine plural
תִּגְנְבוּ
2nd person feminine plural
תִּגְנֹבְנָה
3rd person plural
יִגְנְבוּ
Imperative Mood
Person
Form
2nd person masculine singular
גְּנֹב
2nd person feminine singular
גִּנְבִי
2nd person masculine plural
גִּנְבוּ
2nd person feminine plural
גְּנֹבְנָה
Usage in Scripture
Exodus 20:15 – לֹא תִּגְנֹב
“You shall not steal.”… Learn Hebrew
Incline Your Ear: Imperatives, Parallelism, and the Poetic Call to Wisdom in Proverbs 5:1
בְּ֭נִי לְחָכְמָתִ֣י הַקְשִׁ֑יבָה לִ֝תְבוּנָתִ֗י הַט־אָזְנֶֽךָ׃
Contextual Introduction
Proverbs 5:1 begins a fatherly appeal warning against the seductive power of immorality, urging the hearer to embrace wisdom. As is typical in biblical wisdom literature, the verse uses poetic parallelism, imperative mood, and possessive structures to engage the hearer emotionally and intellectually. The language is not simply instructional—it is relational and urgent, using grammar to reinforce the gravity of the moral path ahead.
Grammatical Focus: Imperative Mood, Construct Phrases, and Poetic Parallelism
1.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb גָּמַר: To Complete, Finish, or Accomplish
The Hebrew verb גָּמַר (root: ג-מ-ר) means “to complete,” “to finish,” “to bring to an end,” or “to accomplish.” It conveys a strong sense of finishing something fully, whether that be an action, a project, a process, or even a period of time.
גָּמַר mainly appears in the Qal binyan (simple action: to complete) and occasionally in the Piel binyan (intensive: to finish thoroughly).
Qal Binyan Conjugation of גָּמַר (“to complete, finish”)
Past (Perfect) Tense
Person
Form
1st person singular
גָּמַרְתִּי
2nd person masculine singular
גָּמַרְתָּ
2nd person feminine singular
גָּמַרְתְּ
3rd person masculine singular
גָּמַר
3rd person feminine singular
גָּמְרָה
1st person plural
גָּמַרְנוּ
2nd person masculine plural
גְּמַרְתֶּם
2nd person feminine plural
גְּמַרְתֶּן
3rd person plural
גָּמְרוּ
Present (Participle) Tense
Gender/Number
Form
Masculine singular
גּוֹמֵר
Feminine singular
גּוֹמֶרֶת
Masculine plural
גּוֹמְרִים
Feminine plural
גּוֹמְרוֹת
Future (Imperfect) Tense
Person
Form
1st person singular
אֶגְמֹר
2nd person masculine singular
תִּגְמֹר
2nd person feminine singular
תִּגְמְרִי
3rd person masculine singular
יִגְמֹר
3rd person feminine singular
תִּגְמֹר
1st person plural
נִגְמֹר
2nd person masculine plural
תִּגְמְרוּ
2nd person feminine plural
תִּגְמֹרְנָה
3rd person plural
יִגְמְרוּ
Imperative Mood
Person
Form
2nd person masculine singular
גְּמֹר
2nd person feminine singular
גִּמְרִי
2nd person masculine plural
גִּמְרוּ
2nd person feminine plural
גְּמֹרְנָה
Usage in Scripture
Psalm 138:8 – יְהוָה יִגְמֹר בַּעֲדִי
“The LORD will accomplish it for me.”… Learn Hebrew
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