-
Recent Articles
- 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
- Speaking and Showing: Sequential Actions and Demonstrative Syntax in Exodus 4:30
- The Hebrew Verb גִּלַּח: To Shave or Shear
Categories
Author Archives: Biblical Hebrew
The Use of the Wayyiqtol Form in Esther 3:1
Esther 3:1 in Hebrew אַחַ֣ר הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה גִּדַּל֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹ֜ושׁ אֶת־הָמָ֧ן בֶּֽן־הַמְּדָ֛תָא הָאֲגָגִ֖י וַֽיְנַשְּׂאֵ֑הוּ וַיָּ֨שֶׂם֙ אֶת־כִּסְאֹ֔ו מֵעַ֕ל כָּל־הַשָּׂרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתֹּֽו׃ Introduction to the Verse Esther 3:1 introduces the elevation of Haman to a position of high authority. The verb Read … Continue reading
Posted in Grammar
Comments Off on The Use of the Wayyiqtol Form in Esther 3:1
The Use of Conditional Structures in Leviticus 12:8
Leviticus 12:8 in Hebrew וְאִם־לֹ֨א תִמְצָ֣א יָדָהּ֮ דֵּ֣י שֶׂה֒ וְלָקְחָ֣ה שְׁתֵּֽי־תֹרִ֗ים אֹ֤ו שְׁנֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יֹונָ֔ה אֶחָ֥ד לְעֹלָ֖ה וְאֶחָ֣ד לְחַטָּ֑את וְכִפֶּ֥ר עָלֶ֛יהָ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְטָהֵֽרָה׃ Introduction to the Verse Leviticus 12:8 outlines the alternative sacrificial offering for a woman after childbirth when … Continue reading
Posted in Grammar
Comments Off on The Use of Conditional Structures in Leviticus 12:8
The Use of the Qal Imperfect and Negative Particles in Leviticus 12:4
Leviticus 12:4 in Hebrew וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים יֹום֙ וּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים תֵּשֵׁ֖ב בִּדְמֵ֣י טָהֳרָ֑ה בְּכָל־קֹ֣דֶשׁ לֹֽא־תִגָּ֗ע וְאֶל־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ֙ לֹ֣א תָבֹ֔א עַד־מְלֹ֖את יְמֵ֥י טָהֳרָֽהּ׃ Introduction to the Verse Leviticus 12:4 discusses the period of purification after childbirth, focusing on ritual purity laws. A key grammatical … Continue reading
Posted in Grammar
Comments Off on The Use of the Qal Imperfect and Negative Particles in Leviticus 12:4
Ezekiel 37:14 – Cohortative and Perfect Verbs of Promise
וְנָתַתִּ֨י רוּחִ֤י בָכֶם֙ וִחְיִיתֶ֔ם וְהִנַּחְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם עַל־אַדְמַתְכֶ֑ם וִידַעְתֶּ֞ם כִּי־אֲנִ֧י יְהוָ֛ה דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי וְעָשִׂ֖יתִי נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your land; and you shall know that I am … Continue reading
Posted in Grammar
Tagged Ezekiel 37:14
Comments Off on Ezekiel 37:14 – Cohortative and Perfect Verbs of Promise
The Use of the Niphal Imperfect in Exodus 35:2
שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֮ תֵּעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ וּבַיֹּ֣ום הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י יִהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֥ם קֹ֛דֶשׁ שַׁבַּ֥ת שַׁבָּתֹ֖ון לַיהוָ֑ה כָּל־הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה בֹ֛ו מְלָאכָ֖ה יוּמָֽת׃ Introduction to Exodus 35:2 Exodus 35:2 provides a command regarding the observance of the Sabbath, emphasizing the six days of work and the seventh … Continue reading
The Use of the Hiphil Imperfect in 1 Samuel 27:11
1 Samuel 27:11 וְאִ֨ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֜ה לֹֽא־יְחַיֶּ֣ה דָוִ֗ד לְהָבִ֥יא גַת֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר פֶּן־יַגִּ֥דוּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ לֵאמֹ֑ר כֹּֽה־עָשָׂ֤ה דָוִד֙ וְכֹ֣ה מִשְׁפָּטֹ֔ו כָּל־הַ֨יָּמִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָשַׁ֖ב בִּשְׂדֵ֥ה פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ Introduction to the Verse 1 Samuel 27:11 contains a Hiphil imperfect verb, which is key to understanding David’s … Continue reading
Posted in Grammar
Comments Off on The Use of the Hiphil Imperfect in 1 Samuel 27:11
Hebrew Tenses
The Nature of Tense in Hebrew Verbs The designation of the term tense in the context of Hebrew verbs is a misnomer that has long led to misunderstandings regarding the function of the Hebrew verbal system. Unlike Indo-European languages, where … Continue reading
Posted in Grammar
Comments Off on Hebrew Tenses
Separation and Settlement: Accumulation, Coordination, and Displacement in Genesis 36:6
Genesis 36:6 וַיִּקַּ֣ח עֵשָׂ֡ו אֶת־֠נָשָׁיו וְאֶת־בָּנָ֣יו וְאֶת־בְּנֹתָיו֮ וְאֶת־כָּל־נַפְשֹׁ֣ות בֵּיתֹו֒ וְאֶת־מִקְנֵ֣הוּ וְאֶת־כָּל־בְּהֶמְתֹּ֗ו וְאֵת֙ כָּל־קִנְיָנֹ֔ו אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָכַ֖שׁ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֶל־אֶ֔רֶץ מִפְּנֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֥ב אָחִֽיו׃ Opening Verb: וַיִּקַּח Read more […]
Posted in Grammar
Tagged Genesis 36:6
Comments Off on Separation and Settlement: Accumulation, Coordination, and Displacement in Genesis 36:6
Sworn to Bury: Oaths, Infinitives, and Politeness Forms in Genesis 50:5
Genesis 50:5 אָבִ֞י הִשְׁבִּיעַ֣נִי לֵאמֹ֗ר הִנֵּ֣ה אָנֹכִי֮ מֵת֒ בְּקִבְרִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר כָּרִ֤יתִי לִי֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן שָׁ֖מָּה תִּקְבְּרֵ֑נִי וְעַתָּ֗ה אֶֽעֱלֶה־נָּ֛א וְאֶקְבְּרָ֥ה אֶת־אָבִ֖י וְאָשֽׁוּבָה׃ Oath Introduction: אָבִי הִשְׁבִּיעַנִי לֵאמֹר אָבִי (“my father”) is Read more […]
Posted in Grammar
Comments Off on Sworn to Bury: Oaths, Infinitives, and Politeness Forms in Genesis 50:5
Pursuit and Confrontation: Imperatives and Sequential Clauses in Genesis 44:4
Genesis 44:4 הֵ֠ם יָֽצְא֣וּ אֶת־הָעִיר֮ לֹ֣א הִרְחִיקוּ֒ וְיֹוסֵ֤ף אָמַר֙ לַֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־בֵּיתֹ֔ו ק֥וּם רְדֹ֖ף אַחֲרֵ֣י הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֑ים וְהִשַּׂגְתָּם֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם לָ֛מָּה שִׁלַּמְתֶּ֥ם רָעָ֖ה תַּ֥חַת טֹובָֽה׃ Clause One: הֵם יָצְאוּ אֶת־הָעִיר הֵם (“they”) is the subject Read more […]
Posted in Grammar
Tagged Genesis 44:4
Comments Off on Pursuit and Confrontation: Imperatives and Sequential Clauses in Genesis 44:4