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Recent Articles
- Poetry of Parallelism: The Enigmatic Syntax of Job 5:7
- The Guilty Soul: Predicate-Subject Inversion and Verbal Emphasis in Numbers 5:6
- The Demonstrative זֹאת as Subject: Deixis and Emphasis in Ezekiel 5:5
- The Hebrew Verb גָּרַם: To Cause, Bring About, or Result In
- Verbs of Begetting: The Syntax of Sequential Wayyiqtol in Genealogies
- The Hebrew Verb גָּעְגַּע: To Long For, Yearn, or Miss
- Hidden Defilement, Known Guilt: Conditional Clauses and Ritual Awareness in Leviticus 5:3
- The Hebrew Verb גָּנַן: To Shield, Cover, or Defend
- Exodus 5:2 – Interrogative Pronoun, Relative Clause, and Double Negation
- The Hebrew Verb גָּנַב: To Steal or Deceive
- Incline Your Ear: Imperatives, Parallelism, and the Poetic Call to Wisdom in Proverbs 5:1
- The Hebrew Verb גָּמַר: To Complete, Finish, or Accomplish
Categories
Author Archives: Biblical Hebrew
The Collapse Without Wisdom: Verb Themes and Syntax in Job 4:21
Job 4:21 הֲלֹא־נִסַּ֣ע יִתְרָ֣ם בָּ֑ם יָ֝מ֗וּתוּ וְלֹ֣א בְחָכְמָֽה׃ Focus on the Passive Niphal: נִסַּ֣ע The verb נִסַּ֣ע is in the Niphal stem, which often expresses passive or reflexive action. Derived from the root נ־ס־ע (“to journey,” “to depart,” or “to … Continue reading
The Hebrew Verb בָּרַר: To Choose, Purify, or Examine Carefully
The Hebrew verb בָּרַר (root: ב-ר-ר) means “to choose,” “to purify,” “to sift,” or “to examine carefully.” It conveys the idea of selecting something with care and purpose—such as choosing the best from among many, or purifying something by removing … Continue reading
Grammatical Deception: Mood, Syntax, and Speech in Judges 4:20
Judges 4:20 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלֶ֔יהָ עֲמֹ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וְהָיָה֩ אִם־אִ֨ישׁ יָבֹ֜וא וּשְׁאֵלֵ֗ךְ וְאָמַ֛ר הֲיֵֽשׁ־פֹּ֥ה אִ֖ישׁ וְאָמַ֥רְתְּ אָֽיִן׃ Focus on Imperatives: עֲמֹ֖ד The word עֲמֹד is the imperative masculine singular form of the root ע־מ־ד, meaning “to stand.” Here, it is a … Continue reading
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The Hebrew Verb בֵּרֵךְ: To Bless, Kneel, or Bestow Favor
The Hebrew verb בֵּרֵךְ (root: ב-ר-ךְ) means “to bless,” “to bestow favor,” or “to praise.” While the root can also be connected to the idea of “kneeling” (from a different form in the Qal binyan), in the Piel binyan—which is … Continue reading
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Stumbling in Darkness: Imagery, Negation, and Parallelism in Proverbs 4:19
דֶּ֣רֶךְ רְ֭שָׁעִים כָּֽאֲפֵלָ֑ה לֹ֥א יָ֝דְע֗וּ בַּמֶּ֥ה יִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ Contextual Introduction Proverbs 4:19 forms part of a wisdom contrast between the path of the righteous and that of the wicked. While the previous verse (v.18) compares the way of the righteous to … Continue reading
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The Hebrew Verb בָּרַח: To Flee, Escape, or Run Away
The Hebrew verb בָּרַח (root: ב-ר-ח) means “to flee,” “to escape,” or “to run away.” It is a common action verb used throughout the Hebrew Bible to describe physical flight from danger, pursuit, judgment, or conflict. It can also be … Continue reading
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Negative Imperative with Jussive Verbs and Genitive Apposition
Introduction to Numbers 4:18 This verse is part of a divine command to preserve the lives of the Qehatite clan among the Levites, who were tasked with transporting the most sacred objects. The verse uses a negative imperative with a … Continue reading
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The Hebrew Verb בָּרָא: To Create, Bring into Existence
The Hebrew verb בָּרָא (root: ב-ר-א) means “to create” or “to bring into existence.” It is a powerful and theologically significant verb that appears in the very first verse of the Bible. Unlike other Hebrew verbs for “making” (like עשה … Continue reading
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Sequential Devastation: Narrative Syntax and Theological Catastrophe in 1 Samuel 4:17
Introduction: News of Defeat and the Grammar of National Collapse 1 Samuel 4:17 records the devastating news brought to Eli after the defeat of Israel by the Philistines. The verse’s sequential grammar and syntactic rhythm deliver multiple escalating tragedies: military … Continue reading
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The Hebrew Verb בִּקֵּשׁ: To Seek, Request, or Desire
The Hebrew verb בִּקֵּשׁ (root: ב-ק-שׁ) means “to seek,” “to request,” or “to desire.” It belongs to the Piel binyan, and unlike many verbs, it does not typically appear in the Qal. Its form is intensive or causative by nature, … Continue reading
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