Author Archives: Biblical Hebrew

About Biblical Hebrew

Learn Biblical Hebrew Online. Studying Biblical Hebrew online opens a direct window into the sacred texts of the Hebrew Bible, allowing readers to engage with Scripture in its original linguistic and cultural context. By learning the language in which much of the Tanakh was written, students can move beyond translations and discover the nuanced meanings, poetic structures, and theological depth embedded in the Hebrew text. Online learning provides flexible and accessible avenues to build these skills, whether through self-paced modules, guided instruction, or interactive resources. As one grows in proficiency, the richness of biblical narratives, laws, prayers, and prophetic visions comes to life with renewed clarity, making the study of Biblical Hebrew not only an intellectual pursuit but a deeply rewarding spiritual and cultural journey.

The Hifil Verb וַיַּלְעֵג in Nehemiah 4:1

Posted on April 1, 2019 by Biblical Hebrew

וַיְהִ֞י כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר שָׁמַ֣ע סַנְבַלַּ֗ט כִּֽי־אֲנַ֤חְנוּ בֹונִים֙ אֶת־הַ֣חֹומָ֔ה וַיִּ֣חַר לֹ֔ו וַיִּכְעַ֖ס הַרְבֵּ֑ה וַיַּלְעֵ֖ג עַל־הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃ (Nehemiah 4:1) And it happened, when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he became angry and was greatly enraged, and he mocked the Jews. Nehemiah 4:1 describes the reaction of Sanballat upon hearing that the Israelites were rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. His response is one of anger and mockery, as captured by the Hifil verb וַיַּלְעֵג (vayyilʿēg). This verb is key to understanding the intensity and direction of his scorn, as the Hifil stem often implies causative action.… Learn Hebrew

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Grammatical-Theological Analysis of Psalm 30:4

Posted on March 30, 2019 by Biblical Hebrew

יְֽהוָ֗ה הֶֽעֱלִ֣יתָ מִן־שְׁאֹ֣ול נַפְשִׁ֑י חִ֝יִּיתַ֗נִי מִיֹּרְדֵי־בֹֽור׃ 1. Verb Forms and Divine Action: הֶעֱלִ֣יתָ and חִיִּיתַ֗נִי The first verb, הֶֽעֱלִ֣יתָ (“You brought up”), is a Hifil perfect 2nd person masculine singular from the root עָלָה (“to go up”). The Hifil stem gives it a causative nuance—”You caused [me] to ascend.” This verb conveys divine initiative in reversing the downward trajectory of death or despair. The perfect form marks the action as completed: God has definitively intervened. The second verb, חִיִּיתַ֗נִי (“You gave me life”), is also a Hifil perfect 2nd person masculine singular, from the root חָיָה (“to live”).… Learn Hebrew

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The Nifal Imperative הֵאָסְפוּ in Amos 3:9

Posted on March 9, 2019 by Biblical Hebrew

הַשְׁמִ֨יעוּ֙ עַל־אַרְמְנֹ֣ות בְּאַשְׁדֹּ֔וד וְעַֽל־אַרְמְנֹ֖ות בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְאִמְר֗וּ הֵאָֽסְפוּ֙ עַל־הָרֵ֣י שֹׁמְרֹ֔ון וּרְא֞וּ מְהוּמֹ֤ת רַבֹּות֙ בְּתֹוכָ֔הּ וַעֲשׁוּקִ֖ים בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ׃ (Amos 3:9) Proclaim over the palaces in Ashdod and over the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say: Gather yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great tumults within her and the oppressed in her midst. Amos 3:9 records a divine summons to the nations, calling them to assemble and witness the injustice occurring in Shomron (Samaria). The verb הֵאָסְפוּ (heʾasəfū) appears in the Nifal imperative form, which is significant because it conveys a command to gather while also implying a passive or reflexive nuance.… Learn Hebrew

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The Nifal Participle נֶאֱסָפִים in Isaiah 13:4

Posted on March 1, 2019 by Biblical Hebrew

קֹ֥ול הָמֹ֛ון בֶּֽהָרִ֖ים דְּמ֣וּת עַם־רָ֑ב קֹ֠ול שְׁאֹ֞ון מַמְלְכֹ֤ות גֹּויִם֙ נֶֽאֱסָפִ֔ים יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות מְפַקֵּ֖ד צְבָ֥א מִלְחָמָֽה׃ (Isaiah 13:4) A sound of tumult on the mountains, like the likeness of a great people. A sound of uproar from kingdoms, nations gathered together. Yahweh of hosts is mustering a host for battle. Isaiah 13:4 describes a prophetic vision of a great army assembling for war, with nations gathering under divine command. The Nifal participle נֶאֱסָפִים (neʾesafim) plays a crucial role in conveying the passive nature of the assembly, highlighting that these nations are not gathering by their own initiative but rather under an external force.… Learn Hebrew

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The Nifal Participle נִבְחָר in Proverbs 22:1

Posted on February 1, 2019 by Biblical Hebrew

נִבְחָ֣ר שֵׁ֭ם מֵעֹ֣שֶׁר רָ֑ב מִכֶּ֥סֶף וּ֝מִזָּהָ֗ב חֵ֣ן טֹֽוב׃ (Proverbs 22:1) A name is chosen above great riches; favor is better than silver and gold. Proverbs 22:1 emphasizes the value of a good name over material wealth. The verse opens with the Nifal participle נִבְחָר (nivḥar), meaning “chosen” or “preferred,” which plays a crucial role in shaping the meaning of the passage. This analysis will explore the morphology, syntactic function, and semantic significance of this participle within Biblical Hebrew grammar. Analysis of Key Words/Phrases The Nifal participle נִבְחָר (nivḥar) appears at the beginning of the verse: נִבְחָ֣ר שֵׁ֭ם This phrase consists of: נִבְחָר (nivḥar) – “chosen” or “preferred” (Nifal participle) שֵׁם (shem) – “a name” (noun, subject) The Nifal participle נִבְחָר is the focus of our grammatical analysis.… Learn Hebrew

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The Nifal Verb יִנָּשְׂאוּ in Ezekiel 1:21

Posted on January 21, 2019 by Biblical Hebrew

בְּלֶכְתָּ֣ם יֵלֵ֔כוּ וּבְעָמְדָ֖ם יַֽעֲמֹ֑דוּ וּֽבְהִנָּשְׂאָ֞ם מֵעַ֣ל הָאָ֗רֶץ יִנָּשְׂא֤וּ הָאֹֽופַנִּים֙ לְעֻמָּתָ֔ם כִּ֛י ר֥וּחַ הַחַיָּ֖ה בָּאֹופַנִּֽים׃ (Ezekiel 1:21) When they went, they went, and when they stood, they stood; and when they were lifted up from upon the earth, the wheels were lifted up alongside them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. Ezekiel 1:21 describes the synchronized movement of the wheels in the prophet’s vision, explaining that they move and rise in unison with the living creatures. A key grammatical feature in this verse is the verb יִנָּשְׂאוּ (yinnāśəʾū), which is in the Nifal stem, a binyan that often expresses passive or reflexive action.… Learn Hebrew

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Prepositions of Comparison: The Power of מִן and כְּ in Proverbs 18:19

Posted on December 19, 2018 by Biblical Hebrew

אָ֗ח נִפְשָׁ֥ע מִקִּרְיַת־עֹ֑ז וּמְדֹונִים כִּבְרִ֥יחַ אַרְמֹֽון׃ Proverbs 18:19 presents a striking image of broken trust: “A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarrels are like the bars of a fortress.” This comparison is grammatically anchored in two small but powerful prepositions: מִן (“more than”) and כְּ (“like”). These prepositions shape the entire logic and rhetorical force of the proverb. Hebrew uses prepositions not only to describe relationships in space or time—but also to build similes, comparisons, and even superlatives.… Learn Hebrew

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Sequential Wayyiqtol Verbs in Topographical Descriptions

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Biblical Hebrew

וַיְהִ֨י לָהֶ֧ם הַגְּב֛וּל לִפְאַ֥ת צָפֹ֖ונָה מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וְעָלָ֣ה הַגְּבוּל֩ אֶל־כֶּ֨תֶף יְרִיחֹ֜ו מִצָּפֹ֗ון וְעָלָ֤ה בָהָר֙ יָ֔מָּה וְהָיָה תֹּֽצְאֹתָ֔יו מִדְבַּ֖רָה בֵּ֥ית אָֽוֶן׃ (Joshua 18:12) And their border was on the northern side from the Yarden, and the border went up to the shoulder of Yeriḥo from the north and went up into the hill country westward, and its end was at the wilderness of Beit Aven. Joshua 18:12 describes the northern border of the territory assigned to the tribe of Binyamin. The verse features a series of actions marked by wayyiqtol verbs describing how the border ascends, shifts, and proceeds through various landmarks.… Learn Hebrew

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The Imperative לֶךְ־לְךָ and the Command to Abram in Genesis 12:1

Posted on December 1, 2018 by Biblical Hebrew

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמֹּֽולַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃ (Genesis 12:1) And YHWH said to Avram, “Go forth from your land, from your birthplace, and from the house of your father, to the land that I will show you. Genesis 12:1 marks a pivotal moment in biblical history, where יְהוָה (YHWH) commands אַבְרָם (Avram, “Abram”) to leave his homeland and journey to an unknown land. The grammatical structure of this verse is significant, particularly the imperative phrase לֶךְ־לְךָ (lekh-lekha, “Go for yourself” or “Go forth”).… Learn Hebrew

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The Use of Collective Singular and Plural Agreement in Genesis 11:1

Posted on November 1, 2018 by Biblical Hebrew

וַֽיְהִ֥י כָל־הָאָ֖רֶץ שָׂפָ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת וּדְבָרִ֖ים אֲחָדִֽים׃ (Genesis 11:1) And the whole earth had one language and the same words. Genesis 11:1 introduces the Tower of Babel narrative by describing the state of human language before divine intervention. The verse contains an interesting grammatical interplay between singular and plural forms, particularly in שָׂפָ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת (safah eḥat, “one language”) and דְּבָרִ֖ים אֲחָדִֽים (devarim aḥadim, “unified words” or “same speech”). These constructions demonstrate how Biblical Hebrew expresses collective unity while maintaining distinctions between singular and plural agreement.… Learn Hebrew

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