-
Recent Articles
- Perpetual Backsliding: Interrogatives, Participles, and the Syntax of Resistance
- Anchored in Syntax: The Resting of the Ark in Genesis 8:4
- Under the Cover of Darkness: The Hebrew Syntax of Ambush in Joshua 8:3
- Lighting the Grammar: A Dialogue on יָת and Ritual Syntax in Onkelos (Numbers 8:2)
- “Then Bildad the Shuchite Answered and Said”: Hebrew Dialogue in Motion
- Scroll Marginalia: Weighted Syntax and Sanctified Measures (Numbers 7:31, Onkelos)
- “His Hands Shall Bring the Fire-Offerings”: Learning Sacred Hebrew Through Priestly Ritual
- Grammar of Offering: Enumerative Syntax and Appositional Closure
- The Nation That Would Not Listen: Relative Clauses, Coordinated Verbs, and Elliptical Judgment
- Wisdom in Layers: Demonstrative Syntax and Infinitive Purpose in Qohelet
- The Syntax of Sacred Prohibition: Blood in Leviticus 7:26
- From Exodus to Exhortation: The Syntax of Divine Persistence
Categories
Archives
Category Archives: Beginners
“Then Bildad the Shuchite Answered and Said”: Hebrew Dialogue in Motion
וַ֭יַּעַן בִּלְדַּ֥ד הַשּׁוּחִ֗י וַיֹאמַֽר׃
(Job 8:1)
Literal English Translation
And Bildad the Shuchite answered and said:
Word-by-Word Explanation
וַיַּעַן – “And he answered”Verb, 3rd person masculine singular, vav-consecutive form of עָנָה (“to answer”). The וַ prefix connects this to the previous narrative sequence. This verb usually introduces a response or reply in Biblical speech.
בִּלְדַּד – “Bildad”Proper noun. One of Job’s three friends. This marks the beginning of his first speech.
הַשּׁוּחִי – “the Shuchite”Adjective or gentilic, meaning “from Shuach” (a place or ancestral line).… Learn Hebrew
“His Hands Shall Bring the Fire-Offerings”: Learning Sacred Hebrew Through Priestly Ritual
יָדָ֣יו תְּבִיאֶ֔ינָה אֵ֖ת אִשֵּׁ֣י יְהוָ֑ה אֶת־הַחֵ֤לֶב עַל־הֶֽחָזֶה֙ יְבִיאֶ֔נּוּ אֵ֣ת הֶחָזֶ֗ה לְהָנִ֥יף אֹתֹ֛ו תְּנוּפָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃
(Leviticus 7:30)
Literal English Translation
His hands shall bring the fire-offerings of YHWH, the fat with the breast he shall bring it, the breast, to wave it as a wave offering before YHWH.
Word-by-Word Explanation
יָדָיו – “his hands”Noun, dual form of יָד (“hand”) with a 3rd person masculine singular suffix ָיו = “his.” Refers to the offerer’s own hands.
תְּבִיאֶינָה – “shall bring”Verb, 3rd person feminine plural, imperfect from בּוֹא (“to come/bring”).… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Beginners
Comments Off on “His Hands Shall Bring the Fire-Offerings”: Learning Sacred Hebrew Through Priestly Ritual
“And the Fish Died and the Nile Stank”: A Hebrew Lesson from Egypt’s First Plague
וְהַדָּגָ֨ה אֲשֶׁר־בַּיְאֹ֥ר מֵ֨תָה֙ וַיִּבְאַ֣שׁ הַיְאֹ֔ר וְלֹא־יָכְל֣וּ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִשְׁתֹּ֥ות מַ֖יִם מִן־הַיְאֹ֑ר וַיְהִ֥י הַדָּ֖ם בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(Exodus 7:21)
Literal English Translation
And the fish that were in the Nile died, and the Nile stank, and the Mitsrites could not drink water from the Nile, and the blood was in all the land of Mitsrayim.
Word-by-Word Explanation
וְהַדָּגָ֨ה – “And the fish” Noun. דָּגָה is a collective feminine noun for “fish.” The וְ is the conjunction “and,” and הַ is the definite article “the.”… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Beginners
Tagged Exodus 7:21
Comments Off on “And the Fish Died and the Nile Stank”: A Hebrew Lesson from Egypt’s First Plague
“One Golden Spoon Filled with Incense”: A Tiny Vessel, A Weighty Gift
כַּ֥ף אַחַ֛ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מְלֵאָ֥ה קְטֹֽרֶת׃
(Numbers 7:14)
Literal English Translation
One gold spoon of ten [shekels], filled with incense.
Word-by-Word Explanation
כַּף – “spoon”Noun. Refers to a small shallow vessel, often used in ritual contexts such as incense offerings in the tabernacle.
אַחַת – “one” (feminine)Number. Hebrew numbers must match gender. כַּף is feminine, so the feminine numeral אַחַת is used.
עֲשָׂרָה – “ten”Number. Refers to weight—specifically ten shekels. The word “shekels” is implied but not stated here.
זָהָב – “gold”Noun.… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Beginners
Tagged Numbers 7:14
Comments Off on “One Golden Spoon Filled with Incense”: A Tiny Vessel, A Weighty Gift
And They Fled Before the Men of ʿAi”: A Hebrew Battle Surprise
וַיַּעֲל֤וּ מִן־הָעָם֙ שָׁ֔מָּה כִּשְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים אִ֑ישׁ וַיָּנֻ֕סוּ לִפְנֵ֖י אַנְשֵׁ֥י הָעָֽי׃
(Joshua 7:4)
Literal English Translation
And about three thousand men went up from the people there, but they fled before the men of ʿAi.
Word-by-Word Explanation
וַיַּעֲלוּ – “And they went up”Verb, from the root עָלָה (“to go up”).
– The וַ prefix marks narrative past (vav-consecutive).
– Form: 3rd person masculine plural → “they went up.”
Hebrew often uses “go up” for traveling to a location, especially a city or holy site.… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Beginners
Tagged Joshua 7:4
Comments Off on And They Fled Before the Men of ʿAi”: A Hebrew Battle Surprise
“Go Out to Meet Ahaz”: A Hebrew Mission in Isaiah 7:3
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָה֮ אֶֽל־יְשַׁעְיָהוּ֒ צֵא־נָא֙ לִקְרַ֣את אָחָ֔ז אַתָּ֕ה וּשְׁאָ֖ר יָשׁ֣וּב בְּנֶ֑ךָ אֶל־קְצֵ֗ה תְּעָלַת֙ הַבְּרֵכָ֣ה הָעֶלְיֹונָ֔ה אֶל־מְסִלַּ֖ת שְׂדֵ֥ה כֹובֵֽס׃
(Isaiah 7:3)
Literal English Translation
And YHWH said to Yeshayahu, “Go out now to meet Aḥaz—you and Sheʾar Yashuv your son—at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, at the highway of the launderer’s field.”
Word-by-Word Explanation
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר – “And He said”Verb, from אָמַר (“to say”), 3rd person masculine singular. The וַ prefix signals narrative past: “And He said.”
יְהוָה – “YHWH”Divine name.… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Beginners
Tagged Isaiah 7:3
Comments Off on “Go Out to Meet Ahaz”: A Hebrew Mission in Isaiah 7:3
On the Day YHWH Spoke: Learning Hebrew Narrative Structure in Exodus 6:28
וַיְהִ֗י בְּיֹ֨ום דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(Exodus 6:28)
This verse is a short narrative introduction that sets the scene for divine communication. It might look simple at first, but it reveals a lot about Hebrew narrative grammar, time expressions, and sentence flow. Let’s break it down and see how Hebrew builds meaning, even in one quiet verse.
English Translation (Clear and Literal)
And it came to pass on the day that YHWH spoke to Moshe in the land of Mitsrayim (Egypt).… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Beginners
Tagged Exodus 6:28
Comments Off on On the Day YHWH Spoke: Learning Hebrew Narrative Structure in Exodus 6:28
Pointing Them Out: Hebrew Grammar in Exodus 6:26
ה֥וּא אַהֲרֹ֖ן וּמֹשֶׁ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ לָהֶ֔ם הֹוצִ֜יאוּ אֶת־בְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם עַל־צִבְאֹתָֽם׃
(Exodus 6:26)
This verse identifies Aharon and Moshe as the leaders appointed by YHWH to lead the Israelites out of Mitsrayim (Egypt). It’s short, but it packs rich grammar: subject pronouns, relative clauses, direct speech, and imperative verbs. Let’s learn how each piece works together.
English Translation (Clear and Literal)
This is Aharon and Moshe, to whom YHWH said, “Bring out the children of Yisra’el from the land of Mitsrayim according to their divisions.”… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Beginners
Tagged Exodus 6:26
Comments Off on Pointing Them Out: Hebrew Grammar in Exodus 6:26
Let’s Walk Through Ruth’s Hebrew Together
וַתֹּאמֶר֩ ר֨וּת הַמֹּואֲבִיָּ֜ה אֶֽל־נָעֳמִ֗י אֵֽלְכָה־נָּ֤א הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וַאֲלַקֳטָ֣ה בַשִּׁבֳּלִ֔ים אַחַ֕ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶמְצָא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינָ֑יו וַתֹּ֥אמֶר לָ֖הּ לְכִ֥י בִתִּֽי׃
(Ruth 2:2)
This beautiful verse from the Book of Ruth shows a conversation between Ruth and Naomi. Let’s explore what each Hebrew word means, how they fit together, and what we can learn about Hebrew grammar from this sentence.
English Translation (Word by Word)
And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go, please, to the field and glean among the ears of grain behind someone in whose eyes I find favor.”… Learn Hebrew
“My Closest Friends Abhor Me” – The Emotional Weight of Job 19:19
תִּֽ֭עֲבוּנִי כָּל־מְתֵ֣י סֹודִ֑י וְזֶֽה־֝אָהַ֗בְתִּי נֶהְפְּכוּ־בִֽי׃
(Job 19:19)
Literal English Translation
All the men of my secret counsel abhor me, and those I loved have turned against me.
Word-by-Word Explanation
תִּֽעֲבוּנִי – “they abhor me”Verb, imperfect form (future-like), from the root ת־ע־ב (“to loathe” or “to abhor”).
– תִּֽעֲבוּ = “they will abhor” (3rd person masculine plural, imperfect)
– נִי = “me” (1st person singular object suffix)
Together: “they abhor me” or “they loathe me.”
This expresses deep rejection—Job feels utterly despised.… Learn Hebrew