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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
Sequential Action and Leadership: The Wayyiqtol Chain in Judges 3:27
וַיְהִ֣י בְּבֹואֹ֔ו וַיִּתְקַ֥ע בַּשֹּׁופָ֖ר בְּהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וַיֵּרְד֨וּ עִמֹּ֧ו בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מִן־הָהָ֖ר וְה֥וּא לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃
(Judges 3:27)
And it came to pass when he arrived, that he blew the trumpet in the hill country of Efrayim, and the sons of Yisraʾel went down with him from the mountain, and he was before them.
Trumpets, Terrain, and Tactical Leadership
This verse describes the pivotal moment when Ehud, after escaping from Eglon, mobilizes the Israelites by sounding the shofar in the hill country of Ephraim. The structure of this verse is particularly notable for its use of wayyiqtol (וַיִּקטֹל) forms, a staple of Hebrew narrative grammar that links actions in succession.… Learn Hebrew
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Internal Monologue and Root-Derived Wordplay in Obadiah 1:3
זְדֹ֤ון לִבְּךָ֙ הִשִּׁיאֶ֔ךָ שֹׁכְנִ֥י בְחַגְוֵי־סֶּ֖לַע מְרֹ֣ום שִׁבְתֹּ֑ו אֹמֵ֣ר בְּלִבֹּ֔ו מִ֥י יֹורִדֵ֖נִי אָֽרֶץ׃
(Obadiah 1:3)
The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, in the height of his habitation, who says in his heart, Who will bring me down to the ground?
The Language of Arrogance and Illusion
Obadiah 1:3 confronts the arrogant mindset of Edom, using highly expressive Hebrew grammar to portray internal thought, deceptive self-assurance, and false elevation. The verse employs reflexive causative verbs and embeds internal monologue syntax into poetic prophecy.… Learn Hebrew
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Temporal Clauses and Narrative Framing in Numbers 26:1
וַיְהִ֖י אַחֲרֵ֣י הַמַּגֵּפָ֑ה פ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה וְאֶ֧ל אֶלְעָזָ֛ר בֶּן־אַהֲרֹ֥ן הַכֹּהֵ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃
(Numbers 26:1)
And it came to pass after the plague, that YHWH said to Moshe and to Eleʿazar, son of Aharon the priest, saying,
Marking Time After Crisis
This verse opens the chapter detailing the second wilderness census. It sets the context with a temporal clause and then presents a divine speech formula addressed to both Moshe and Eleʿazar. The syntax reveals the transition from plague to restoration and organization.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb אִמֵּץ: To Strengthen and Encourage
The Hebrew verb אִמֵּץ (from the root א-מ-ץ) means “to strengthen,” “to make firm,” or “to encourage.” It appears primarily in the Piel binyan, where it takes on an intensive or causative meaning. The verb is used both in literal contexts (e.g., strengthening hands or arms) and figurative contexts (e.g., encouraging the heart, giving courage).
In the Hebrew Bible, it often appears in moments of transition, fear, or divine encouragement. The most famous usage is in God’s charge to Yehoshua (Joshua): חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ – “Be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6–9), where אִמֵּץ appears as a command for inner fortitude and trust.… Learn Hebrew
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Negative Imperatives and Prohibitions in Leviticus 26:1
לֹֽא־תַעֲשׂ֨וּ לָכֶ֜ם אֱלִילִ֗ם וּפֶ֤סֶל וּמַצֵּבָה֙ לֹֽא־תָקִ֣ימוּ לָכֶ֔ם וְאֶ֣בֶן מַשְׂכִּ֗ית לֹ֤א תִתְּנוּ֙ בְּאַרְצְכֶ֔ם לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֖ת עָלֶ֑יהָ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
(Leviticus 26:1)
You shall not make idols for yourselves, nor shall you set up a graven image or a pillar for yourselves, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am YHWH your God.
Syntax of Covenant Prohibitions
Leviticus 26:1 opens the chapter of blessings and curses with a firm reminder of Israel’s exclusive devotion to YHWH.… Learn Hebrew
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Sequential Perfects and Future Conditionals in Deuteronomy 26:1
וְהָיָה֙ כִּֽי־תָבֹ֣וא אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַחֲלָ֑ה וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֖הּ וְיָשַׁ֥בְתָּ בָּֽהּ׃
(Deuteronomy 26:1)
And it shall be when you come into the land which YHWH your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it.
Legal Conditional Syntax and Sequential Events
This verse marks the beginning of a legal ritual that is to be performed upon entering the land of YHWH. The grammar is especially rich with perfect verbs used to describe future actions—a unique feature of Hebrew law codes.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb הֶאֱמִין: To Believe and Trust
The Hebrew verb הֶאֱמִין (from the root א-מ-ן) is the standard verb for expressing faith, belief, and trust in biblical Hebrew. It appears most frequently in the Hiphil binyan, the causative stem, and literally means “to cause to be firm” or “to cause to trust.” This fits well with the theological context in which the verb often appears—most notably in expressions of trusting in God.
For example, in Genesis 15:6, it says of Avram: וְהֶאֱמִן בַּיהוָה — “And he believed in the LORD,” a foundational verse for both Jewish and Christian theology.… Learn Hebrew
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Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Phonology
Biblical Hebrew, the language of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), presents a rich and complex phonological system that evolved significantly over time. Its phonology—concerned with the sound system of the language—offers essential insights into historical linguistics, comparative Semitics, and the reconstruction of ancient pronunciations. This article explores the consonantal and vocalic inventory of Biblical Hebrew, historical shifts, and key phonological phenomena within a scholarly framework.
Consonantal Inventory and Phonemic Distinctions
Classical Biblical Hebrew (ca. 1000–400 BC) possessed a well-defined set of 22 consonantal phonemes, corresponding to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Root א-מ-ן: Meanings, Binyanim, and Development
The root א-מ-ן (Aleph–Mem–Nun) in Hebrew is one of the most theologically rich and versatile roots in the Bible. From this root come several related verbs and nouns associated with ideas of faith, firmness, trustworthiness, and training. It lies behind well-known words like אָמֵן (“amen”) and אֱמוּנָה (“faith, faithfulness”).
This root appears in multiple binyanim, each with distinct shades of meaning:
Qal (rare): to be firm, confirmed
Niphal: to be faithful, to be established
Piel: to train, to bring up (especially a child)
Hiphil: to believe, to trust, to regard as true
Below are the conjugation tables for the most prominent forms: Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb אִלֵּץ: To Compel or Force or Urge
The Hebrew verb אִלֵּץ comes from the root א-ל-ץ and means “to compel,” “to coerce,” or “to force.” It is typically found only in the Piel binyan, which expresses intensive or causative action. This verb is not used in the Qal or Niphal forms in the Hebrew Bible and Modern Hebrew. Its meaning carries a strong sense of pressure or obligation placed on a person or group.
The verb is rarely found in biblical Hebrew but appears more often in later Hebrew literature and Modern Hebrew, especially in contexts involving laws, duties, or emotional/psychological pressure.… Learn Hebrew
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