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The Ravaged Vineyard: Visionary Perfects and Destruction Syntax in Jeremiah 4:26

Jeremiah 4:26 רָאִ֕יתִי וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַכַּרְמֶ֖ל הַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְכָל־עָרָ֗יו נִתְּצוּ֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י חֲרֹ֥ון אַפֹּֽו׃ Vision Report: רָאִיתִי וְהִנֵּה רָאִיתִי (“I saw”) is a Qal perfect 1cs of ר־א־ה (“to see”), indicating a complete visionary act. וְהִנֵּה (“and behold”) introduces the object … Continue reading

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The Hebrew Verb גָּדַר: To Fence, Wall Up, or Enclose

The Hebrew verb גָּדַר (root: ג-ד-ר) means “to wall up,” “to fence,” “to enclose,” or “to build a wall.” It is used literally to refer to constructing walls or enclosures, and metaphorically to describe protection, separation, or exclusion. In the … Continue reading

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Blood and Altar: Precision and Ritual Syntax in Leviticus 4:25

Leviticus 4:25 וְלָקַ֨ח הַכֹּהֵ֜ן מִדַּ֤ם הַֽחַטָּאת֙ בְּאֶצְבָּעֹ֔ו וְנָתַ֕ן עַל־קַרְנֹ֖ת מִזְבַּ֣ח הָעֹלָ֑ה וְאֶת־דָּמֹ֣ו יִשְׁפֹּ֔ךְ אֶל־יְסֹ֖וד מִזְבַּ֥ח הָעֹלָֽה׃ Sequential Ritual Actions: וְלָקַ֨ח… וְנָתַ֕ן… יִשְׁפֹּ֔ךְ The verse progresses through a sequence of wayyiqtol verbs: וְלָקַ֨ח — “and he Read more […]

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The Hebrew Verb גָּדַל: To Grow, Become Great, or Magnify

The Hebrew verb גָּדַל (root: ג-ד-ל) means “to grow,” “to become great,” or “to be magnified.” It conveys both physical growth (as of a child or plant) and abstract greatness (as in power, importance, or honor). Depending on the binyan … Continue reading

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Hands, Heads, and Holy Places: Ritual Syntax in Leviticus 4:24

Leviticus 4:24 וְסָמַ֤ךְ יָדֹו֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַשָּׂעִ֔יר וְשָׁחַ֣ט אֹתֹ֔ו בִּמְקֹ֛ום אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁחַ֥ט אֶת־הָעֹלָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה חַטָּ֖את הֽוּא׃ Sequential Actions: וְסָמַ֤ךְ… וְשָׁחַ֣ט The verse opens with two wayyiqtol verbs: וְסָמַ֤ךְ (“and he shall lay”) and וְשָׁחַ֣ט (“and he shall slaughter”), from the roots … Continue reading

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The Hebrew Verb גָּבַר: To Prevail, Overcome, or Grow Strong

The Hebrew verb גָּבַר (root: ג-ב-ר) means “to prevail,” “to be strong,” “to overcome,” or “to gain the upper hand.” It denotes increasing power or dominance, whether physical, emotional, or circumstantial. It is often used in poetic and narrative contexts … Continue reading

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Craftsmen and Kingship: Participles and Prepositional Structure in 1 Chronicles 4:23

1 Chronicles 4:23 הֵ֚מָּה הַיֹּ֣וצְרִ֔ים וְיֹשְׁבֵ֥י נְטָעִ֖ים וּגְדֵרָ֑ה עִם־הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ בִּמְלַאכְתֹּ֖ו יָ֥שְׁבוּ שָֽׁם׃ ס Subject Pronoun and Identity: הֵ֚מָּה הֵמָּה (“they”) is a third-person plural independent pronoun, often used to emphasize the subject. Here, it introduces a descriptive summary of a … Continue reading

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The Hebrew Verb גָּבַל: To Mix, Knead, or Combine

The Hebrew verb גָּבַל (root: ג-ב-ל) means “to mix,” “to knead,” or “to combine.” It refers most commonly to the physical mixing of substances, especially in preparing food (like kneading dough) or in making building materials (such as mixing clay). … Continue reading

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Guarding by Night, Working by Day: Temporal Clauses and Role Syntax in Nehemiah 4:22

Nehemiah 4:22 גַּ֣ם בָּעֵ֤ת הַהִיא֙ אָמַ֣רְתִּי לָעָ֔ם אִ֣ישׁ וְנַעֲרֹ֔ו יָלִ֖ינוּ בְּתֹ֣וךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְהָֽיוּ־לָ֧נוּ הַלַּ֛יְלָה מִשְׁמָ֖ר וְהַיֹּ֥ום מְלָאכָֽה׃ Temporal Phrase: בָּעֵ֤ת הַהִיא The phrase בָּעֵ֤ת הַהִיא means “at that time.” It combines the preposition בְּ (“in, at”) with the noun עֵת … Continue reading

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The Hebrew Verb בִּשֵּׁל: To Cook, Boil, or Ripen

The Hebrew verb בִּשֵּׁל (root: ב-ש-ל) means “to cook,” “to boil,” or “to ripen.” It appears in the Piel binyan, which expresses an intensive or causative action, and refers primarily to the preparation of food by boiling or cooking. It … Continue reading

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