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.

Deuteronomy 31:3 – Emphatic Pronoun Usage and Participial Constructions

יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ ה֣וּא עֹבֵ֣ר לְפָנֶ֗יךָ הֽוּא־יַשְׁמִ֞יד אֶת־הַגֹּויִ֥ם הָאֵ֛לֶּה מִלְּפָנֶ֖יךָ וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֑ם יְהֹושֻׁ֗עַ ה֚וּא עֹבֵ֣ר לְפָנֶ֔יךָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃ (Deuteronomy 31:3) YHWH your God, He is the one crossing before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. Yehoshua, he is the one crossing before you, just as YHWH has spoken. This verse from Deuteronomy 31:3 contains a powerful example of emphatic pronoun usage with participial constructions to highlight divine initiative and assurance. The repeated use of the independent pronoun הוּא (he) with participles and yiqtol verbs creates emphasis—declaring who is truly responsible for the action.… Learn Hebrew
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Grammatical-Theological Analysis of Numbers 30:4

וְאִשָּׁ֕ה כִּֽי־תִדֹּ֥ר נֶ֖דֶר לַיהוָ֑ה וְאָסְרָ֥ה אִסָּ֛ר בְּבֵ֥ית אָבִ֖יהָ בִּנְעֻרֶֽיהָ׃ (Numbers 30:4) And if a woman makes a vow to YHWH and binds herself with a pledge in her father’s house in her youth. 1. Conditional Syntax and Gendered Subject: וְאִשָּׁה כִּֽי־תִדֹּר The verse opens with וְאִשָּׁה (“and a woman”), functioning as the subject of the conditional clause introduced by כִּֽי (“if”). This introduces a case law scenario, typical of biblical legal texts. The feminine noun אִשָּׁה anchors the legal condition in a specific subject—here, an unmarried woman, as clarified later.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb אָשַׁם: To Be Guilty or Offend

The Hebrew verb אָשַׁם (root: א-ש-ם) carries the core meaning of “to be guilty,” “to offend,” or “to bear guilt.” It is used frequently in the Hebrew Bible in both legal and cultic contexts. This verb is particularly important in discussions of sin, responsibility, atonement, and offerings, such as the אָשָׁם (guilt offering) described in Leviticus. In the Qal binyan, it typically denotes the state of being guilty or having incurred guilt. In some forms, it may also express passive nuance—“to become guilty.”… Learn Hebrew
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The Cloudy Day of YHWH: Temporal Markers and Prophetic Syntax in Ezekiel 30:3

כִּֽי־קָרֹ֣וב יֹ֔ום וְקָרֹ֥וב יֹ֖ום לַֽיהוָ֑ה יֹ֣ום עָנָ֔ן עֵ֥ת גֹּויִ֖ם יִֽהְיֶֽה׃ (Ezekiel 30:3) For the day is near, the day of YHWH is near, a day of cloud; it shall be the time of the nations. Ezekiel 30:3 comes within a prophetic oracle against Mitsrayim (Egypt), where YHWH speaks of an impending judgment not only upon Egypt but on all surrounding nations. This verse forms the crescendo of the opening movement of Ezekiel 30 and functions as a theologically charged proclamation of the Day of YHWH.… Learn Hebrew
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Encircling Holiness: Grammatical Ornamentation in Exodus 30:3

וְצִפִּיתָ֨ אֹתֹ֜ו זָהָ֣ב טָהֹ֗ור אֶת־גַּגֹּ֧ו וְאֶת־קִירֹתָ֛יו סָבִ֖יב וְאֶת־קַרְנֹתָ֑יו וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ לֹּ֛ו זֵ֥ר זָהָ֖ב סָבִֽיב׃ (Exodus 30:3) And you shall overlay it with pure gold, its top, its sides all around, and its horns, and you shall make a gold molding for it all around. Exodus 30:3 is situated within YHWH’s instructions to Moshe regarding the construction of the מִזְבַּח קְטֹרֶת (altar of incense). This verse specifically details the gold overlay and decorative features of the altar. As with much of the Tabernacle narrative (Exodus 25–31), the language is ritualistic, highly ordered, and deeply symbolic.… Learn Hebrew
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On the Knees of Grammar: Syntactic and Theological Implications of Genesis 30:3

וַתֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֛ה אֲמָתִ֥י בִלְהָ֖ה בֹּ֣א אֵלֶ֑יהָ וְתֵלֵד֙ עַל־בִּרְכַּ֔י וְאִבָּנֶ֥ה גַם־אָנֹכִ֖י מִמֶּֽנָּה׃ (Genesis 30:3) And she said, “Behold, my maid Bilha, go in to her, and she shall bear upon my knees, so that I too may be built up through her.” Genesis 30:3 occurs in the emotionally charged narrative of the rivalry between Rachel and Leah, wives of יָעֲקֹב (Yaʿaqov), as they contend for honor and fertility in the patriarchal household. Rachel, barren and desperate, proposes that her maidservant בִּלְהָה act as a surrogate mother so that she may symbolically bear children through her.… Learn Hebrew
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Grammatical-Theological Analysis of Isaiah 63:7

חַֽסְדֵ֨י יְהוָ֤ה אַזְכִּיר֙ תְּהִלֹּ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה כְּעַ֕ל כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־גְּמָלָ֖נוּ יְהוָ֑ה וְרַב־טוּב֙ לְבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־גְּמָלָ֥ם כְּֽרַחֲמָ֖יו וּכְרֹ֥ב חֲסָדָֽיו׃ (Isaiah 63:7) The lovingkindnesses of YHWH will I recount, the praises of YHWH, according to all that YHWH has bestowed on us, and the great goodness to the house of Yisraʾel that He has bestowed on them according to His compassion and according to the abundance of His loyal love. 1. Opening with a Construct Chain: חַסְדֵי יְהוָה The verse begins with the construct phrase חַסְדֵי יְהוָה—“the mercies of the LORD.”… Learn Hebrew
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Grammatical-Theological Analysis of Psalm 97:8

שָׁמְעָ֬ה וַתִּשְׂמַ֨ח צִיֹּ֗ון וַ֭תָּגֵלְנָה בְּנֹ֣ות יְהוּדָ֑ה לְמַ֖עַן מִשְׁפָּטֶ֣יךָ יְהוָֽה׃ 1. Verb Forms and Theological Resonance The verse opens with שָׁמְעָ֬ה (“she has heard”), a Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular. The perfect form, often indicating completed action, is striking here. Zion’s hearing is not hypothetical or potential—it has already occurred, perhaps alluding to Israel’s historical receptivity to God’s deeds or judgments. The verb conveys a sense of rootedness in past revelation, suggesting that divine justice has not only been proclaimed but received.… Learn Hebrew
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Psalm 29:3 – Parallelism and Prepositional Phrases with עַל

קֹ֥ול יְהוָ֗ה עַל־הַ֫מָּ֥יִם אֵֽל־הַכָּבֹ֥וד הִרְעִ֑ים יְ֝הוָ֗ה עַל־מַ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃ (Psalm 29:3) The voice of YHWH is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders—YHWH upon many waters. This verse from Psalm 29:3 beautifully showcases two literary and grammatical features common in Hebrew poetry: 1. Poetic parallelism – where the second line echoes or intensifies the meaning of the first. 2. The use of the preposition עַל (“upon”) in prepositional phrases, which can express location, dominion, or movement across. Both lines describe YHWH’s dominion over waters, reinforcing divine power in the storm imagery.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb אָסַר: To Bind or Imprison

The Hebrew verb אָסַר (root: א-ס-ר) means “to bind,” “to tie,” or “to imprison.” It is found frequently in both narrative and legal sections of the Hebrew Bible. In literal contexts, it refers to physical binding with cords or imprisonment. In figurative contexts, it can refer to restrictions or prohibitions, including vows and obligations. This verb is primarily used in the Qal binyan for active voice and in the Niphal for passive or reflexive meanings (“to be bound”).   Qal Binyan Conjugation of אָסַר Past (Perfect) Tense Person Form 1st person singular אָסַרְתִּי 2nd person masculine singular אָסַרְתָּ 2nd person feminine singular אָסַרְתְּ 3rd person masculine singular אָסַר 3rd person feminine singular אָסְרָה 1st person plural אָסַרְנוּ 2nd person masculine plural אֲסַרְתֶּם 2nd person feminine plural אֲסַרְתֶּן 3rd person plural אָסְרוּ Present (Participle) Tense Gender/Number Form Masculine singular אוֹסֵר Feminine singular אוֹסֶרֶת Masculine plural אוֹסְרִים Feminine plural אוֹסְרוֹת Future (Imperfect) Tense Person Form 1st person singular אֶאֱסֹר 2nd person masculine singular תֶּאֱסֹר 2nd person feminine singular תֶּאֱסְרִי 3rd person masculine singular יֶאֱסֹר 3rd person feminine singular תֶּאֱסֹר 1st person plural נֶאֱסֹר 2nd person masculine plural תֶּאֱסְרוּ 2nd person feminine plural תֶּאֱסֹרְנָה 3rd person plural יֶאֱסְרוּ Imperative Mood Person Form 2nd person masculine singular אֱסֹר 2nd person feminine singular אִסְרִי 2nd person masculine plural אִסְרוּ 2nd person feminine plural אֱסֹרְנָה   Usage in Scripture The verb אָסַר appears in numerous legal, narrative, and poetic contexts: Genesis 39:20 – וַיִּקַּח אֲדֹנֵי יוֹסֵף אֹתוֹ וַיִּתְּנֵהוּ אֶל־בֵּית הַסֹּהַר מְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אֲסוּרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲסוּרִים “So Yosep’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were bound.”… Learn Hebrew
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