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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: Biblical Hebrew
Stumbling in Darkness: Imagery, Negation, and Parallelism in Proverbs 4:19
דֶּ֣רֶךְ רְ֭שָׁעִים כָּֽאֲפֵלָ֑ה לֹ֥א יָ֝דְע֗וּ בַּמֶּ֥ה יִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ:
(Proverbs 4:19)
The path of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
Proverbs 4:19 forms part of a wisdom contrast between the path of the righteous and that of the wicked. While the previous verse (v.18) compares the way of the righteous to the shining light of dawn, this verse paints the way of the wicked as enveloped in darkness. The stark imagery is matched by a concise and rhythmic syntactic structure.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb בָּרַח: To Flee, Escape, or Run Away
The Hebrew verb בָּרַח (root: ב-ר-ח) means “to flee,” “to escape,” or “to run away.” It is a common action verb used throughout the Hebrew Bible to describe physical flight from danger, pursuit, judgment, or conflict. It can also be used metaphorically for fleeing from sin, judgment, or responsibility.
This verb appears primarily in the Qal binyan (simple action) and is used in both narrative and poetic contexts. The form is typically regular and predictable, making it a foundational vocabulary word for students of Biblical Hebrew.… Learn Hebrew
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Negative Imperative with Jussive Verbs and Genitive Apposition
אַל־תַּכְרִ֕יתוּ אֶת־שֵׁ֖בֶט מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת הַקְּהָתִ֑י מִתֹּ֖וךְ הַלְוִיִּֽם׃
(Numbers 4:18)
Do not cut off the tribe of the Kohathite families from among the Levites.
This verse is part of a divine command to preserve the lives of the Qehatite clan among the Levites, who were tasked with transporting the most sacred objects. The verse uses a negative imperative with a jussive verb, which is a common grammatical structure in Biblical Hebrew for expressing prohibitions. It also features an example of genitive apposition, where one noun defines another.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb בָּרָא: To Create, Bring into Existence
The Hebrew verb בָּרָא (root: ב-ר-א) means “to create” or “to bring into existence.” It is a powerful and theologically significant verb that appears in the very first verse of the Bible. Unlike other Hebrew verbs for “making” (like עשה or יצר), בָּרָא is used exclusively for divine activity—only God is the subject of this verb in the Hebrew Bible. It conveys the idea of bringing something entirely new into being, often ex nihilo (out of nothing).
It appears primarily in the Qal binyan.… Learn Hebrew
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Sequential Devastation: Narrative Syntax and Theological Catastrophe in 1 Samuel 4:17
וַיַּ֨עַן הַֽמְבַשֵּׂ֜ר וַיֹּ֗אמֶר נָ֤ס יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לִפְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְגַ֛ם מַגֵּפָ֥ה גְדֹולָ֖ה הָיְתָ֣ה בָעָ֑ם וְגַם־שְׁנֵ֨י בָנֶ֜יךָ מֵ֗תוּ חָפְנִי֙ וּפִ֣ינְחָ֔ס וַאֲרֹ֥ון הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים נִלְקָֽחָה׃
(1 Samuel 4:17)
And the bearer of tidings answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and also there has been a great slaughter among the people; and also your two sons, Ḥofni and Pinḥas, are dead, and the Ark of God has been captured.”
News of Defeat and the Grammar of National Collapse
1 Samuel 4:17 records the devastating news brought to Eli after the defeat of Israel by the Philistines.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb בִּקֵּשׁ: To Seek, Request, or Desire
The Hebrew verb בִּקֵּשׁ (root: ב-ק-שׁ) means “to seek,” “to request,” or “to desire.” It belongs to the Piel binyan, and unlike many verbs, it does not typically appear in the Qal. Its form is intensive or causative by nature, indicating purposeful, often passionate pursuit or solicitation.
This verb is frequently found throughout the Hebrew Bible in contexts of seeking something from God, searching for wisdom or peace, or requesting a favor or item. It plays a key role in narrative, prophetic, and poetic texts.… Learn Hebrew
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“He Shall Be Your Mouth”: Syntax of Mediation and Divine Authority in Exodus 4:16
וְדִבֶּר־ה֥וּא לְךָ֖ אֶל־הָעָ֑ם וְהָ֤יָה הוּא֙ יִֽהְיֶה־לְּךָ֣ לְפֶ֔ה וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶה־לֹּ֥ו לֵֽאלֹהִֽים׃
(Exodus 4:16)
And he shall speak for you to the people; and it shall be that he will be as a mouth for you, and you shall be as God to him.
Delegated Speech and Theological Role Inversion
Exodus 4:16 is part of YHWH’s response to Moshe’s protest that he is “not a man of words” (Exod. 4:10). In reply, YHWH designates Aharon, Moshe’s brother, as his spokesperson. This verse defines the functional relationship between Moshe and Aharon in symbolic and hierarchical terms.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb בָּקַר: To Seek, Inquire, or Inspect
The Hebrew verb בָּקַר (root: ב-ק-ר) means “to seek,” “to inquire,” “to examine,” or “to inspect.” It often implies a deliberate and careful investigation—whether of people, things, or situations. While it shares a root with nouns like בֹּקֶר (morning), the verbal form is distinct in usage and meaning.
This verb appears most often in the Qal binyan (to investigate, examine) and also in Piel (to inspect thoroughly or supervise). It is commonly used in priestly, legal, and administrative contexts, especially in regard to sacrificial animals, health examinations, or inquiries about someone’s welfare.… Learn Hebrew
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The Mark of Mercy: Legal Syntax and Divine Protection in Genesis 4:15
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר לֹ֣ו יְהוָ֗ה לָכֵן֙ כָּל־הֹרֵ֣ג קַ֔יִן שִׁבְעָתַ֖יִם יֻקָּ֑ם וַיָּ֨שֶׂם יְהוָ֤ה לְקַ֨יִן֙ אֹ֔ות לְבִלְתִּ֥י הַכֹּות־אֹתֹ֖ו כָּל־מֹצְאֹֽו׃
(Genesis 4:15)
And YHWH said to him, “Therefore, whoever kills Qayin, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” And YHWH placed a sign for Qayin, so that no one who found him would strike him.
Justice, Restraint, and the Grammar of Protection
Genesis 4:15 follows Qayin’s lament over his punishment after murdering his brother Hevel. In response, YHWH declares a protective measure, both judicial and symbolic.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb בָּצַע: To Cut Off, Break Open, or Gain Unjustly
The Hebrew verb בָּצַע (root: ב-צ-ע) primarily means “to cut off,” “to break open,” or “to divide.” Over time, it developed figurative meanings, including “to plunder,” “to gain by violence,” or “to profit unjustly.” In biblical usage, it often carries a negative moral connotation—especially in prophetic texts where it is associated with greed, corruption, and exploitation.
בָּצַע appears most frequently in the Qal binyan and occasionally in Niphal (to be broken off) and Pual (to be greedily taken).
Qal Binyan Conjugation of בָּצַע
Past (Perfect) Tense
Person
Form
1st person singular
בָּצַעְתִּי
2nd person masculine singular
בָּצַעְתָּ
2nd person feminine singular
בָּצַעְתְּ
3rd person masculine singular
בָּצַע
3rd person feminine singular
בָּצְעָה
1st person plural
בָּצַעְנוּ
2nd person masculine plural
בְּצַעְתֶּם
2nd person feminine plural
בְּצַעְתֶּן
3rd person plural
בָּצְעוּ
Present (Participle) Tense
Gender/Number
Form
Masculine singular
בּוֹצֵעַ
Feminine singular
בּוֹצַעַת
Masculine plural
בּוֹצְעִים
Feminine plural
בּוֹצְעוֹת
Future (Imperfect) Tense
Person
Form
1st person singular
אֶבְצַע
2nd person masculine singular
תִּבְצַע
2nd person feminine singular
תִּבְצְעִי
3rd person masculine singular
יִבְצַע
3rd person feminine singular
תִּבְצַע
1st person plural
נִבְצַע
2nd person masculine plural
תִּבְצְעוּ
2nd person feminine plural
תִּבְצַעְנָה
3rd person plural
יִבְצְעוּ
Imperative Mood
Person
Form
2nd person masculine singular
בְּצַע
2nd person feminine singular
בִּצְעִי
2nd person masculine plural
בִּצְעוּ
2nd person feminine plural
בְּצַעְנָה
Usage in Scripture
Genesis 37:26 – מַה־בֶּצַע כִּי נַהֲרֹג אֶת־אָחִינוּ
“What profit is there if we kill our brother?”… Learn Hebrew
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