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- 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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Blood and Altar: Precision and Ritual Syntax in Leviticus 4:25
Leviticus 4:25
וְלָקַ֨ח הַכֹּהֵ֜ן מִדַּ֤ם הַֽחַטָּאת֙ בְּאֶצְבָּעֹ֔ו וְנָתַ֕ן עַל־קַרְנֹ֖ת מִזְבַּ֣ח הָעֹלָ֑ה וְאֶת־דָּמֹ֣ו יִשְׁפֹּ֔ךְ אֶל־יְסֹ֖וד מִזְבַּ֥ח הָעֹלָֽה׃
Sequential Ritual Actions: וְלָקַ֨ח… וְנָתַ֕ן… יִשְׁפֹּ֔ךְ
The verse progresses through a sequence of wayyiqtol verbs:
וְלָקַ֨ח — “and he shall take” (Qal wayyiqtol 3ms from ל־ק־ח)
וְנָתַ֕ן — “and he shall put” (Qal wayyiqtol 3ms from נ־ת־ן)
יִשְׁפֹּ֔ךְ — “he shall pour out” (Qal imperfect 3ms from ש־פ־ך)
This sequence defines the priest’s precise duties in handling the blood of the sin offering, emphasizing ritual order and sacred space.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb גָּדַל: To Grow, Become Great, or Magnify
The Hebrew verb גָּדַל (root: ג-ד-ל) means “to grow,” “to become great,” or “to be magnified.” It conveys both physical growth (as of a child or plant) and abstract greatness (as in power, importance, or honor). Depending on the binyan (verbal stem), it can describe either natural development or intentional exaltation or glorification.
This verb appears in several binyanim:
– Qal: to grow, become great
– Piel: to make great, magnify, glorify
– Hiphil: to cause to grow or raise someone to greatness
Its theological richness is evident when used of God, kings, and prophetic language.… Learn Hebrew
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Hands, Heads, and Holy Places: Ritual Syntax in Leviticus 4:24
Leviticus 4:24
וְסָמַ֤ךְ יָדֹו֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַשָּׂעִ֔יר וְשָׁחַ֣ט אֹתֹ֔ו בִּמְקֹ֛ום אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁחַ֥ט אֶת־הָעֹלָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה חַטָּ֖את הֽוּא׃
Sequential Actions: וְסָמַ֤ךְ… וְשָׁחַ֣ט
The verse opens with two wayyiqtol verbs: וְסָמַ֤ךְ (“and he shall lay”) and וְשָׁחַ֣ט (“and he shall slaughter”), from the roots ס־מ־ך and ש־ח־ט respectively. These forms are Qal wayyiqtol 3ms and represent sequential narrative events — typical in priestly and ritual texts to indicate ordered procedure.
Prepositional Possession: יָדֹו עַל־רֹאשׁ
יָדֹו (“his hand”) is the noun יָד with the 3ms pronominal suffix ־ו.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb גָּבַר: To Prevail, Overcome, or Grow Strong
The Hebrew verb גָּבַר (root: ג-ב-ר) means “to prevail,” “to be strong,” “to overcome,” or “to gain the upper hand.” It denotes increasing power or dominance, whether physical, emotional, or circumstantial. It is often used in poetic and narrative contexts to describe the triumph of people, forces, or even natural elements like water or sin.
The noun form גֶּבֶר (man, warrior) comes from the same root, emphasizing strength or manliness. The verb appears primarily in the Qal binyan, with a few appearances in other stems for nuance.… Learn Hebrew
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Craftsmen and Kingship: Participles and Prepositional Structure in 1 Chronicles 4:23
1 Chronicles 4:23
הֵ֚מָּה הַיֹּ֣וצְרִ֔ים וְיֹשְׁבֵ֥י נְטָעִ֖ים וּגְדֵרָ֑ה עִם־הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ בִּמְלַאכְתֹּ֖ו יָ֥שְׁבוּ שָֽׁם׃ ס
Subject Pronoun and Identity: הֵ֚מָּה
הֵמָּה (“they”) is a third-person plural independent pronoun, often used to emphasize the subject. Here, it introduces a descriptive summary of a specific group of people, identifying them with vocational and geographical associations.
Participles in Apposition: הַיֹּ֣וצְרִ֔ים וְיֹשְׁבֵ֥י
הַיֹּ֣וצְרִים is a Qal participle masculine plural from the root י־צ־ר (“to form, shape”), meaning “the potters.” Participles in Hebrew function adjectivally and nominally. The following phrase וְיֹשְׁבֵ֥י נְטָעִים וּגְדֵרָ֑ה adds further description: יֹשְׁבֵי is the Qal participle mp construct from י־שׁ־ב (“to dwell”), modifying the compound noun phrase “inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah.”… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb גָּבַל: To Mix, Knead, or Combine
The Hebrew verb גָּבַל (root: ג-ב-ל) means “to mix,” “to knead,” or “to combine.” It refers most commonly to the physical mixing of substances, especially in preparing food (like kneading dough) or in making building materials (such as mixing clay). It can also carry symbolic or poetic meanings, like the blending of nations or the combining of ideas.
גָּבַל appears primarily in the Qal binyan, but can also occur in other derived stems when emphasizing causative or intensive action. It is not among the most frequently used verbs in the Hebrew Bible, but its usage is vivid and descriptive.… Learn Hebrew
Guarding by Night, Working by Day: Temporal Clauses and Role Syntax in Nehemiah 4:22
Nehemiah 4:22
גַּ֣ם בָּעֵ֤ת הַהִיא֙ אָמַ֣רְתִּי לָעָ֔ם אִ֣ישׁ וְנַעֲרֹ֔ו יָלִ֖ינוּ בְּתֹ֣וךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְהָֽיוּ־לָ֧נוּ הַלַּ֛יְלָה מִשְׁמָ֖ר וְהַיֹּ֥ום מְלָאכָֽה׃
Temporal Phrase: בָּעֵ֤ת הַהִיא
The phrase בָּעֵ֤ת הַהִיא means “at that time.” It combines the preposition בְּ (“in, at”) with the noun עֵת (“time, occasion”) and the demonstrative adjective הַהִיא (“that”). This sets the temporal stage for what follows, introducing a past event and situating the speaker’s instruction in a moment of urgency and strategy during the rebuilding of the walls.
Speech Formula: אָמַ֣רְתִּי לָעָ֔ם
אָמַ֣רְתִּי is a Qal perfect 1cs of א־מ־ר (“to say”), meaning “I said.”… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb בִּשֵּׁל: To Cook, Boil, or Ripen
The Hebrew verb בִּשֵּׁל (root: ב-ש-ל) means “to cook,” “to boil,” or “to ripen.” It appears in the Piel binyan, which expresses an intensive or causative action, and refers primarily to the preparation of food by boiling or cooking. It can also be used figuratively for ripening or completion.
The root also gives rise to the noun בָּשֵׁל (ripe) and תַּבְשִׁיל (dish or cooked food). In the Hebrew Bible, this verb typically appears in narratives involving food preparation or sacrificial practices.… Learn Hebrew
The Collapse Without Wisdom: Verb Themes and Syntax in Job 4:21
Job 4:21
הֲלֹא־נִסַּ֣ע יִתְרָ֣ם בָּ֑ם יָ֝מ֗וּתוּ וְלֹ֣א בְחָכְמָֽה׃
Focus on the Passive Niphal: נִסַּ֣ע
The verb נִסַּ֣ע is in the Niphal stem, which often expresses passive or reflexive action. Derived from the root נ־ס־ע (“to journey,” “to depart,” or “to pull up tent pegs”), the Niphal form here implies “was pulled away” or “was removed.” This metaphor evokes the image of a tent being uprooted — a powerful symbol of impermanence in Biblical Hebrew, especially in wisdom literature like Job.
Syntax Spotlight: הֲלֹא־נִסַּע
The verse opens with הֲלֹא, a rhetorical interrogative meaning “Is it not?”… Learn Hebrew
The Hebrew Verb בָּרַר: To Choose, Purify, or Examine Carefully
The Hebrew verb בָּרַר (root: ב-ר-ר) means “to choose,” “to purify,” “to sift,” or “to examine carefully.” It conveys the idea of selecting something with care and purpose—such as choosing the best from among many, or purifying something by removing impurities.
This verb is used both literally (e.g., in agriculture or metallurgy) and metaphorically (e.g., choosing the righteous, refining character). It appears in various binyanim, most notably in the Piel (to purify or select) and Puʿal (to be purified or selected).… Learn Hebrew