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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
The Struggle Within: Analyzing וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ in Genesis 25:22
וַיִּתְרֹֽצֲצ֤וּ הַבָּנִים֙ בְּקִרְבָּ֔הּ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אִם־כֵּ֔ן לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה אָנֹ֑כִי וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ לִדְרֹ֥שׁ אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃
(Genesis 25:22)
And the children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why am I?” And she went to inquire of YHWH.
Prenatal Prophecy and Maternal Distress
Genesis 25:22 presents a moment of profound mystery: Rivqah experiences intense internal movement during pregnancy. The verb וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ describes what the unborn children are doing within her, and her response leads to a divine oracle that shapes biblical history.… Learn Hebrew
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The Construct Chain in Psalm 1:3
וְֽהָיָ֗ה כְּעֵץ֮ שָׁת֪וּל עַֽל־פַּלְגֵ֫י מָ֥יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר פִּרְיֹ֨ו יִתֵּ֬ן בְּעִתֹּ֗ו וְעָלֵ֥הוּ לֹֽא־יִבֹּ֑ול וְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה יַצְלִֽיחַ׃
(Psalm 1:3)
And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season. Its leaf does not wither, and all that he does prospers.
Psalm 1:3 is a vivid poetic description of the righteous individual, comparing them to a tree planted by streams of water. The verse employs various grammatical constructs, including the construct chain (סְמִיכוּת), which plays a crucial role in biblical Hebrew syntax.… Learn Hebrew
Training Up a Child: Analyzing חֲנֹךְ in Proverbs 22:6
חֲנֹ֣ךְ לַ֭נַּעַר עַל־פִּ֣י דַרְכֹּ֑ו גַּ֥ם כִּֽי־֝יַזְקִ֗ין לֹֽא־יָס֥וּר מִמֶּֽנָּה׃
(Proverbs 22:6)
Train the youth according to his way; even when he grows old, he will not turn from it.
The Way a Child Should Go
Proverbs 22:6 stands as one of the most quoted and widely discussed verses in the Hebrew Bible regarding parenting and education. At its heart is the imperative verb חֲנֹךְ (ḥănōkh), “Train!” or “Dedicate!”—a rare yet powerful word that conveys far more than basic instruction. This analysis explores its morphology, semantic range, contextual meaning, and theological implications, showing how the verb roots this proverb in the deep soil of moral formation and lifelong direction.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb אָחַד – “To Unite”
The Hebrew root א־ח־ד gives rise to the familiar adjective אֶחָד meaning “one.” However, in rare cases, this root also functions as a verb in the Qal stem: אָחַד – “to unite.” While it appears very infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, some forms are attested or can be reconstructed using standard Qal paradigms. Below is a comprehensive overview of the conjugation and forms of this rare but meaningful verb.
Past Tense (Perfect) – Qal
Person
Singular
Plural
1st
אָחַדְתִּי (aḥadti) – I united
אָחַדְנוּ (aḥadnu) – we united
2nd m
אָחַדְתָּ (aḥadta) – you (m) united
אָחַדְתֶּם (aḥadtem) – you (m.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hitpael Verb מִתְהַלֶּכֶת in Ezekiel 1:13
וּדְמ֨וּת הַחַיֹּ֜ות מַרְאֵיהֶ֣ם כְּגַחֲלֵי־אֵ֗שׁ בֹּֽעֲרֹות֙ כְּמַרְאֵ֣ה הַלַּפִּדִ֔ים הִ֕יא מִתְהַלֶּכֶ֖ת בֵּ֣ין הַחַיֹּ֑ות וְנֹ֣גַהּ לָאֵ֔שׁ וּמִן־הָאֵ֖שׁ יֹוצֵ֥א בָרָֽק׃
(Ezekiel 1:13)
And the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches; it was walking about among the living creatures, and brightness was to the fire, and from the fire came out lightning.
Ezekiel 1:13 presents a striking description of the living creatures in the prophet’s vision, depicting their likeness as burning coals of fire, moving like torches.… Learn Hebrew
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The Qal Imperfect Verb אֶשְׁלָחֲךָ in Jeremiah 1:7
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י אַל־תֹּאמַ֖ר נַ֣עַר אָנֹ֑כִי כִּ֠י עַֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֶֽשְׁלָחֲךָ֙ תֵּלֵ֔ךְ וְאֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲצַוְּךָ֖ תְּדַבֵּֽר׃
(Jeremiah 1:7)
And YHWH said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for to all whom I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak.”
Jeremiah 1:7 records YHWH’s response to the prophet’s hesitation, reassuring him that his youth does not disqualify him from divine commission. A key grammatical feature in this verse is the verb אֶשְׁלָחֲךָ (ʾeshlaḥăkha), which appears in the Qal imperfect form.… Learn Hebrew
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The Verb יֶהְגֶּה in Psalm 1:2
כִּ֤י אִ֥ם בְּתֹורַ֥ת יְהוָ֗ה חֶ֫פְצֹ֥ו וּֽבְתֹורָתֹ֥ו יֶהְגֶּ֗ה יֹומָ֥ם וָלָֽיְלָה׃
(Psalm 1:2)
But his delight is in the Torah of YHWH, and in His Torah he meditates day and night.
Psalm 1:2 describes the delight of the righteous in the Torah of YHWH, emphasizing continuous meditation on divine instruction. A key grammatical feature in this verse is the verb יֶהְגֶּה (yehgeh), which conveys the action of meditation or murmuring. This analysis will explore its morphological structure, syntactic role, and semantic nuances in Biblical Hebrew.… Learn Hebrew
The Use of Antithetical Parallelism and Participles in Ecclesiastes 1:5
וְזָרַ֥ח הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ וּבָ֣א הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְאֶ֨ל־מְקֹומֹ֔ו שֹׁואֵ֛ף זֹורֵ֥חַֽ ה֖וּא שָֽׁם׃
(Ecclesiastes 1:5)
The sun rises, and the sun sets, and to its place it pants; there it rises again.
Ecclesiastes 1:5 is part of a poetic passage reflecting on the cyclical nature of the world. The verse describes the rising and setting of the sun, emphasizing its continuous movement. The grammatical structure of this verse includes antithetical parallelism, where opposing actions (sunrise and sunset) are juxtaposed, as well as the use of participles (שֹׁואֵ֛ף and זֹורֵ֥חַ) to depict ongoing motion.… Learn Hebrew
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Mastering Weqatal: Syntax, Function, and Usage in Biblical Hebrew
Weqatal (וְקָטַל) is one of the most complex and fascinating verbal forms in Biblical Hebrew. It plays a crucial role in expressing sequences, aspect, and modality, particularly in narrative and legal texts. This lesson will explore every detail of Weqatal, including its morphology, syntax, function, and significance in biblical exegesis.
Introduction to Weqatal
Weqatal is a verbal form in Biblical Hebrew that consists of the conjunction וְ (“and”) prefixed to a Qatal (Perfect) verb. It is typically used in specific grammatical contexts, often functioning to express actions in the future or as part of a sequential chain of events.… Learn Hebrew
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The Idiomatic Expression וַתָּ֥שָׁב רוּחֹ֖ו אֵלָ֑יו (“His Spirit Returned to Him”) in 1 Samuel 30:12
This study will analyze the function of וַתָּ֥שָׁב רוּחֹ֖ו אֵלָ֑יו in biblical idiom, its grammatical structure, and its theological significance.
וַיִּתְּנוּ־לֹו֩ פֶ֨לַח דְּבֵלָ֜ה וּשְׁנֵ֤י צִמֻּקִים֙ וַיֹּ֔אכַל וַתָּ֥שָׁב רוּחֹ֖ו אֵלָ֑יו כִּ֠י לֹֽא־אָ֤כַל לֶ֨חֶם֙ וְלֹא־שָׁ֣תָה מַ֔יִם שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה יָמִ֖ים וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה לֵילֹֽות׃
And they gave him a slice of pressed fig cake and two clusters of raisins, and he ate, and his spirit returned to him—for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights.
Introduction to 1 Samuel 30:12
1 Samuel 30:12 describes an Egyptian servant found in a weakened state by David’s men, who is then revived with food and water.… Learn Hebrew
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