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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 Syntax of Complaint and the Theological Significance of Divine Mercy in Jonah 4:2
This study will analyze the grammatical structure of Jonah’s complaint, the syntactic function of divine attributes, and the theological implications of Jonah’s resistance to God’s compassion.
וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל אֶל־יְהוָ֜ה וַיֹּאמַ֗ר אָנָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ הֲלֹוא־זֶ֣ה דְבָרִ֗י עַד־הֱיֹותִי֙ עַל־אַדְמָתִ֔י עַל־כֵּ֥ן קִדַּ֖מְתִּי לִבְרֹ֣חַ תַּרְשִׁ֑ישָׁה כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֤י אַתָּה֙ אֵֽל־חַנּ֣וּן וְרַח֔וּם אֶ֤רֶךְ אַפַּ֨יִם֙ וְרַב־חֶ֔סֶד וְנִחָ֖ם עַל־הָרָעָֽה׃
(Jonah 4:2)
And he prayed to YHWH and said, “Please, YHWH, was this not my word while I was still in my land? Therefore I hurried to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in kindness, and relenting concerning disaster.”… Learn Hebrew
The Prophetic Use of Metaphor and the Jussive and Cohortative Verb Forms in Divine Judgment in Hosea 2:3
This study will analyze the grammatical structure of the prophetic warning, the function of jussive and cohortative forms, and the theological implications of Israel’s punishment.
פֶּן־אַפְשִׁיטֶ֣נָּה עֲרֻמָּ֔ה וְהִ֨צַּגְתִּ֔יהָ כְּיֹ֖ום הִוָּֽלְדָ֑הּ וְשַׂמְתִּ֣יהָ כַמִּדְבָּ֗ר וְשַׁתִּ֨הָ֙ כְּאֶ֣רֶץ צִיָּ֔ה וַהֲמִתִּ֖יהָ בַּצָּמָֽא׃
Lest I strip her naked and expose her as on the day of her birth, and make her like the wilderness, and render her like a parched land, and kill her with thirst.
Introduction to Hosea 2:3
Hosea 2:3 (in the Hebrew text) is part of a larger prophetic rebuke where YHWH warns Israel of the consequences of her spiritual unfaithfulness.… Learn Hebrew
The Hebrew Verbal System: Wayyiqtol Forms in Biblical Narrative
וַתָּבֹ֤וא הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וַתֵּ֖רֶא כִּי־נִבְהַ֣ל מְאֹ֑ד וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו הִנֵּ֨ה שָׁמְעָ֤ה שִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֙ בְּקֹולֶ֔ךָ וָאָשִׂ֤ים נַפְשִׁי֙ בְּכַפִּ֔י וָֽאֶשְׁמַע֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ אֵלָֽי׃
(1 Samuel 28:21)
And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly terrified, and she said to him, “Look, your maidservant has listened to your voice, and I have placed my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.”
1 Samuel 28:21 provides us with an excellent example of one of the most distinctive features of Biblical Hebrew grammar: the wayyiqtol verb form.… Learn Hebrew
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The Prophetic Use of the Participle and the Structure of Divine Judgment in Micah 2:3
This study will analyze the participial form, the grammatical function of negation, and the prophetic structure of divine retribution.
לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הִנְנִ֥י חֹשֵׁ֛ב עַל־הַמִּשְׁפָּחָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את רָעָ֑ה אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹֽא־תָמִ֨ישׁוּ מִשָּׁ֜ם צַוְּארֹֽתֵיכֶ֗ם וְלֹ֤א תֵֽלְכוּ֙ רֹומָ֔ה כִּ֛י עֵ֥ת רָעָ֖ה הִֽיא׃
Therefore, thus says YHWH: Behold, I am planning evil against this family, from which you will not withdraw your necks. And you will not walk proudly, for it is an evil time.
Micah 2:3 occurs in a judgment oracle against Israel’s wealthy oppressors.… Learn Hebrew
The Construct Chain in 2 Chronicles 35:3
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לַ֠לְוִיִּם המבונים לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל הַקְּדֹושִׁ֣ים לַיהוָ֗ה תְּנ֤וּ אֶת־אֲרֹון־הַקֹּ֨דֶשׁ֙ בַּ֠בַּיִת אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֜ה שְׁלֹמֹ֤ה בֶן־דָּוִיד֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵין־לָכֶ֥ם מַשָּׂ֖א בַּכָּתֵ֑ף עַתָּ֗ה עִבְדוּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת עַמֹּ֥ו יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
(2 Chronicles 35:3)
And he said to the Levites, the instructors of all Israel, the holy ones to YHWH: “Put the ark of holiness in the house that Solomon son of David, king of Israel, built. You do not need to carry it on the shoulder. Now serve Yahweh your God and His people Israel.”
Introduction to the Verse
The construct chain (סְמִיכוּת) is a fundamental feature of Biblical Hebrew syntax, expressing possession, description, or relationships between two or more nouns.… Learn Hebrew
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The Use of Construct Chains in Job 1:3
וַיְהִ֣י מִ֠קְנֵהוּ שִֽׁבְעַ֨ת אַלְפֵי־צֹ֜אן וּשְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת אַלְפֵ֣י גְמַלִּ֗ים וַחֲמֵ֨שׁ מֵאֹ֤ות צֶֽמֶד־בָּקָר֙ וַחֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵאֹ֣ות אֲתֹונֹ֔ות וַעֲבֻדָּ֖ה רַבָּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וַיְהִי֙ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא גָּדֹ֖ול מִכָּל־בְּנֵי־קֶֽדֶם׃
(Job 1:3)
And his livestock was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was greater than all the sons of the east.
Job 1:3 describes Job’s great wealth in terms of livestock and servants, using several construct chains to show possession and quantity.… Learn Hebrew
The Use of Cohortative and Jussive Forms in Genesis 11:3
Genesis 11:3 in Hebrew
וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֗הוּ הָ֚בָה נִלְבְּנָ֣ה לְבֵנִ֔ים וְנִשְׂרְפָ֖ה לִשְׂרֵפָ֑ה וַתְּהִ֨י לָהֶ֤ם הַלְּבֵנָה֙ לְאָ֔בֶן וְהַ֣חֵמָ֔ר הָיָ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם לַחֹֽמֶר׃
Introduction to the Verse
Genesis 11:3 describes the conversation of the people as they prepared to build the Tower of Babel. This verse contains cohortative and jussive verb forms, which are significant for understanding the mood of command, encouragement, and collective action.
Understanding the Cohortative and Jussive Forms
1. What is the Cohortative?
– The cohortative is a first-person verb form in Biblical Hebrew that expresses intent, encouragement, or self-motivation.… Learn Hebrew
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The Use of the Hiphil Stem in Ecclesiastes 7:7
Ecclesiastes 7:7 in Hebrew
כִּ֥י הָעֹ֖שֶׁק יְהֹולֵ֣ל חָכָ֑ם וִֽיאַבֵּ֥ד אֶת־לֵ֖ב מַתָּנָֽה׃
Introduction to the Verse
Ecclesiastes 7:7 presents a statement about the corrupting influence of oppression and bribery. A key grammatical feature in this verse is the Hiphil verbal stem, which appears in the verbs יְהֹולֵ֣ל (yəhōlēl) and יַאֲבֵּ֥ד (yaʾabbed).
Understanding the Hiphil Stem
1. What is the Hiphil Stem?
– The Hiphil is one of the seven binyanim (verbal stems) in Biblical Hebrew.
– It typically conveys causative action, meaning that one subject causes another to act in a certain way.… Learn Hebrew
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The Use of the Cohortative Verb in Job 31:1
Job 31:1 in Hebrew
בְּ֭רִית כָּרַ֣תִּי לְעֵינָ֑י וּמָ֥ה אֶ֝תְבֹּונֵ֗ן עַל־בְּתוּלָֽה׃
Introduction to the Verse
Job 31:1 contains an example of a cohortative verb, which expresses desire, intention, or resolve. The key verb to examine is אֶתְבֹּונֵן (ʾetbōnēn), which appears in the cohortative form.
Understanding the Cohortative Form
1. Definition of the Cohortative
– The cohortative is a first-person verb form used to express intent, desire, determination, or self-motivation.
– It is common in prayers, personal declarations, and resolutions in the Hebrew Bible.… Learn Hebrew
The Meaning of כְּבֹ֣ד אֱ֭לֹהִים הַסְתֵּ֣ר דָּבָ֑ר in Proverbs 25:2
Proverbs 25:2 in Hebrew
כְּבֹ֣ד אֱ֭לֹהִים הַסְתֵּ֣ר דָּבָ֑ר וּכְבֹ֥ד מְ֝לָכִ֗ים חֲקֹ֣ר דָּבָֽר׃
Introduction to the Verse
Proverbs 25:2 presents a contrast between divine and royal wisdom, highlighting the nature of hidden and revealed knowledge. The verse states:
כְּבֹ֣ד אֱ֭לֹהִים הַסְתֵּ֣ר דָּבָ֑ר – “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter.”
וּכְבֹ֥ד מְ֝לָכִ֗ים חֲקֹ֣ר דָּבָֽר – “But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.”
A key phrase in this verse is כְּבֹ֣ד אֱ֭לֹהִים (kəvōd ʾĕlōhīm), which highlights the difference between divine wisdom and human governance.… Learn Hebrew
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