Author Archives: Biblical Hebrew

About Biblical Hebrew

Learn Biblical Hebrew Online. Studying Biblical Hebrew online opens a direct window into the sacred texts of the Hebrew Bible, allowing readers to engage with Scripture in its original linguistic and cultural context. By learning the language in which much of the Tanakh was written, students can move beyond translations and discover the nuanced meanings, poetic structures, and theological depth embedded in the Hebrew text. Online learning provides flexible and accessible avenues to build these skills, whether through self-paced modules, guided instruction, or interactive resources. As one grows in proficiency, the richness of biblical narratives, laws, prayers, and prophetic visions comes to life with renewed clarity, making the study of Biblical Hebrew not only an intellectual pursuit but a deeply rewarding spiritual and cultural journey.

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
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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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