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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
Teaching the Law: Syntax of Instruction and Inheritance in Deuteronomy 4:14
וְאֹתִ֞י צִוָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔וא לְלַמֵּ֣ד אֶתְכֶ֔ם חֻקִּ֖ים וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֑ים לַעֲשֹׂתְכֶ֣ם אֹתָ֔ם בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֛ם עֹבְרִ֥ים שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃
(Deuteronomy 4:14)
And YHWH commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you may do them in the land which you are crossing over to possess.
Mediated Revelation and Covenant Continuity
Deuteronomy 4:14 presents Moshe’s retrospective account of receiving and transmitting YHWH’s law to Israel in preparation for entering the promised land. The verse sits at the intersection of memory and mandate, summarizing Israel’s calling to obedience through the lens of Moshe’s divine commission.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb בָּנָה: To Build, Construct, or Establish
The Hebrew verb בָּנָה (root: ב-נ-ה) means “to build,” “to construct,” or “to establish.” It is a foundational term in biblical Hebrew, used both literally—for constructing houses, cities, or altars—and metaphorically—for establishing families, dynasties, or spiritual legacies. It occurs frequently in narrative, poetic, legal, and prophetic texts.
בָּנָה is a hollow verb (middle root letter is a weak נ), resulting in irregularities in some conjugations. It appears primarily in the Qal binyan, with additional occurrences in Niphal (to be built) and Pual (to be constructed passively).… Learn Hebrew
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Dream Syntax and Divine Communication: Structural Layers in Job 4:13
בִּ֭שְׂעִפִּים מֵחֶזְיֹנֹ֣ות לָ֑יְלָה בִּנְפֹ֥ל תַּ֝רְדֵּמָ֗ה עַל־אֲנָשִֽׁים׃
(Job 4:13)
In troubling thoughts from night visions, when deep sleep falls on men,
Visionary Fragments and Nocturnal Revelation in Joban Dialogue
Job 4:13 occurs within the first speech of Elifaz, in which he recounts a mysterious, fearsome nocturnal revelation that offers theological perspective on divine justice. This verse introduces the setting and medium of that revelation, emphasizing its obscurity and psychological power:
This verse is a prelude to a divine message delivered in verse 14ff.… Learn Hebrew
The Hebrew Verb בָּלַע: To Swallow, Devour, or Destroy
The Hebrew verb בָּלַע (root: ב-ל-ע) means “to swallow,” “to devour,” “to consume,” or “to destroy.” It often conveys a violent or sudden action, such as an enemy overtaking someone, the earth swallowing the wicked, or time consuming strength. It is frequently found in poetic and prophetic contexts to describe destruction or overwhelming judgment.
בָּלַע appears primarily in the Qal binyan and also occurs in Piel (intensive: to utterly consume) and Niphal (passive: to be swallowed). The vivid imagery of this verb contributes to many dramatic scenes in the Hebrew Bible.… Learn Hebrew
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Concealing the Sacred: Sequential Syntax and Ritual Handling in Numbers 4:12
וְלָקְחוּ֩ אֶת־כָּל־כְּלֵ֨י הַשָּׁרֵ֜ת אֲשֶׁ֧ר יְשָֽׁרְתוּ־בָ֣ם בַּקֹּ֗דֶשׁ וְנָֽתְנוּ֙ אֶל־בֶּ֣גֶד תְּכֵ֔לֶת וְכִסּ֣וּ אֹותָ֔ם בְּמִכְסֵ֖ה עֹ֣ור תָּ֑חַשׁ וְנָתְנ֖וּ עַל־הַמֹּֽוט׃
(Numbers 4:12)
And they shall take all the service vessels with which they minister in the sanctuary, and place them in a blue cloth, and cover them with a covering of tachash leather, and place them on the carrying frame.
Order, Reverence, and Sanctity in the Wilderness Tabernacle
Numbers 4:12 forms part of the priestly instructions for transporting the most sacred items of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) during the wilderness journeys.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb בָּלַט: To Slip Away, Be Secret, or Move Stealthily
The Hebrew verb בָּלַט (root: ב-ל-ט) is a relatively rare verb that carries the sense of “moving stealthily,” “acting secretly,” “sneaking away,” or “slipping quietly.” It often appears in poetic or narrative contexts, describing hidden or cautious movement, either physically or emotionally.
In most biblical occurrences, בָּלַט functions in the Qal stem, though it is primarily used in participial or adverbial forms (e.g., בַּלָּט, meaning “secretly” or “quietly”). It is less commonly used than other verbs for concealment, but it offers vivid imagery when it does appear.… Learn Hebrew
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Appositional Syntax and Dynastic Integration in 1 Kings 4:11
בֶּן־אֲבִֽינָדָ֖ב כָּל־נָ֣פַת דֹּ֑אר טָפַת֙ בַּת־שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה הָ֥יְתָה לֹּ֖ו לְאִשָּֽׁה׃
(1 Kings 4:11)
Ben-Avinadav: all the region of Dor. Tafat, the daughter of Shelomoh, was his wife.
Administrative Structure and Royal Marriage in the Solomonic Era
1 Kings 4 (Hebrew 5) provides a detailed account of King Shelomoh’s (Solomon’s) administrative organization. Among the named officials is a regional governor who receives special attention because of his marital connection to the royal family.
This verse, while brief, packs multiple syntactic and socio-political elements into a compact narrative unit.… Learn Hebrew
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Conditional Syntax and Communal Anthropology in Ecclesiastes 4:11
גַּ֛ם אִם־יִשְׁכְּב֥וּ שְׁנַ֖יִם וְחַ֣ם לָהֶ֑ם וּלְאֶחָ֖ד אֵ֥יךְ יֵחָֽם׃
(Ecclesiastes 4:11)
Also, if two lie down together, they will be warm; but how can one be warm alone?
Companionship, Survival, and the Poetics of Two
Ecclesiastes 4:11 sits within a poetic unit (vv. 9–12) extolling the benefits of companionship over isolation. The passage uses practical imagery to promote shared life and mutual aid. This verse, in particular, draws from everyday physical experience to make a larger existential point.
In this concise and elegant verse, Hebrew grammar underscores the poet’s argument for partnership through conditional syntax, pragmatic emphasis using rhetorical question, and juxtaposition of verbs in complementary clauses.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb בָּכָה: To Weep or Cry
The Hebrew verb בָּכָה (root: ב-כ-ה) means “to weep,” “to cry,” or “to lament.” It is one of the most emotive verbs in the Hebrew Bible and appears frequently in narratives, poetry, and laments to express sorrow, mourning, or intense emotion—whether in personal grief, national tragedy, or divine lament.
The verb appears mostly in the Qal and Piel binyanim:
– Qal: simple weeping, often spontaneous or uncontrolled.
– Piel: intensive or formal weeping (e.g., wailing, prolonged mourning).
Qal Binyan Conjugation of בָּכָה
Past (Perfect) Tense
Person
Form
1st person singular
בָּכִיתִי
2nd person masculine singular
בָּכִיתָ
2nd person feminine singular
בָּכִית
3rd person masculine singular
בָּכָה
3rd person feminine singular
בָּכְתָה
1st person plural
בָּכִינוּ
2nd person masculine plural
בְּכִיתֶם
2nd person feminine plural
בְּכִיתֶן
3rd person plural
בָּכוּ
Present (Participle) Tense
Gender/Number
Form
Masculine singular
בּוֹכֶה
Feminine singular
בּוֹכָה
Masculine plural
בּוֹכִים
Feminine plural
בּוֹכוֹת
Future (Imperfect) Tense
Person
Form
1st person singular
אֶבְכֶּה
2nd person masculine singular
תִּבְכֶּה
2nd person feminine singular
תִּבְכִּי
3rd person masculine singular
יִבְכֶּה
3rd person feminine singular
תִּבְכֶּה
1st person plural
נִבְכֶּה
2nd person masculine plural
תִּבְכּוּ
2nd person feminine plural
תִּבְכֶּינָה
3rd person plural
יִבְכּוּ
Imperative Mood
Person
Form
2nd person masculine singular
בְּכֵה
2nd person feminine singular
בְּכִי
2nd person masculine plural
בְּכוּ
2nd person feminine plural
בְּכֶינָה
Usage in Scripture
Genesis 45:14 – וַיִּפֹּל עַל־צַוְּאַרֵי בִנְיָמִין אָחִיו וַיֵּבְךְּ
“He fell on the neck of his brother Binyamin and wept.”… Learn Hebrew
Measuring Judgment: Distributive Syntax and Temporal Framing in Ezekiel 4:10
וּמַאֲכָֽלְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאכֲלֶ֔נּוּ בְּמִשְׁקֹ֕ול עֶשְׂרִ֥ים שֶׁ֖קֶל לַיֹּ֑ום מֵעֵ֥ת עַד־עֵ֖ת תֹּאכֲלֶֽנּוּ׃
(Ezekiel 4:10)
And your food that you shall eat shall be by weight—twenty shekels a day; from time to time you shall eat it.
Symbolic Acts and the Grammar of Famine
In Ezekiel 4, the prophet performs symbolic actions that embody the coming siege and judgment upon Yerushalayim. Verse 10 forms part of YHWH’s instructions for Ezekiel’s food rationing during his enacted siege, emphasizing scarcity and controlled survival.
This verse uses a combination of relative clauses, distributive syntax, accusative object fronting, and temporal markers to convey restriction, rhythm, and ritualized deprivation.… Learn Hebrew
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