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Recent Articles
- Binyanim Under Pressure: Exodus 8:26
- When Service Ends: A Hebrew Lesson on Numbers 8:25
- Consecration Through Syntax: The Priestly Ritual in Leviticus 8:24
- “A Three-Day Journey”: The Syntax of Volition and Deixis in Exodus According to Targum Onkelos
- Disaster That Flies Down: A Hebrew Lesson on Isaiah 8:22
- Purified and Presented: A Hebrew Lesson on Numbers 8:21
- Like the Nations Before You: A Hebrew Walkthrough of Deuteronomy 8:20
- Voices of the Dead or the Living God? A Hebrew Lesson on Isaiah 8:19
- When the Ground Denies Him: A Hebrew Walkthrough of Job 8:18
- From Dust to Gnats: A Hebrew Lesson in Action
- The Power of Repetition: Exploring the Waw-Consecutive
- Through the Great and Fearsome Wilderness: From Fiery Serpent to Flowing Spring
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Category Archives: Beginners
When Service Ends: A Hebrew Lesson on Numbers 8:25
וּמִבֶּן֙ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה יָשׁ֖וּב מִצְּבָ֣א הָעֲבֹדָ֑ה וְלֹ֥א יַעֲבֹ֖ד עֹֽוד׃
(Numbers 8:25)
And from the age of fifty years he shall return from the service of the work, and shall serve no more.
Word-by-Word Explanation
וּמִבֶּן — “and from the age of.” Preposition מִן (“from”) + בֵּן (“son”), used idiomatically for age (“years old”).
חֲמִשִּׁים — “fifty.” Numeral for the age marker.
שָׁנָה — “year.” Noun in singular, completing the phrase: “fifty years old.”
יָשׁוּב — “he shall return.” Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular from שׁוּב (“to return, turn back”).… Learn Hebrew
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Disaster That Flies Down: A Hebrew Lesson on Isaiah 8:22
וְאֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ יַבִּ֑יט וְהִנֵּ֨ה צָרָ֤ה וַחֲשֵׁכָה֙ מְע֣וּף צוּקָ֔ה וַאֲפֵלָ֖ה מְנֻדָּֽח׃
(Isaiah 8:22)
And he will look to the earth, and behold: distress and darkness, flying anguish, and thick darkness upon the driven one.
Word-by-Word Explanation
וְאֶל־אֶרֶץ — “and to the land/earth.” Preposition אֶל (“to, toward”) + noun אֶרֶץ (“land, earth”).
יַבִּיט — “he will look.” Hifil imperfect 3rd masculine singular from נבט (“to look, gaze”). In Hifil, often “cause oneself to look attentively.”
וְהִנֵּה — “and behold!” An interjection alerting the listener to what follows.… Learn Hebrew
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Purified and Presented: A Hebrew Lesson on Numbers 8:21
וַיִּֽתְחַטְּא֣וּ הַלְוִיִּ֗ם וַֽיְכַבְּסוּ֙ בִּגְדֵיהֶ֔ם וַיָּ֨נֶף אַהֲרֹ֥ן אֹתָ֛ם תְּנוּפָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיְכַפֵּ֧ר עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם אַהֲרֹ֖ן לְטַהֲרָֽם׃
(Numbers 8:21)
And the Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes, and Aaron waved them as a wave offering before the LORD; and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them.
Word-by-Word Explanation
וַיִּתְחַטְּאוּ — “and they purified themselves.” Hitpael stem (reflexive) of חָטָא (“to sin, to purify”), imperfect with vav consecutive. Subject: “the Levites.”
הַלְוִיִּם — “the Levites.” Noun with definite article הַ.
וַיְכַבְּסוּ — “and they washed.”… Learn Hebrew
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Like the Nations Before You: A Hebrew Walkthrough of Deuteronomy 8:20
כַּגֹּויִ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יְהוָה֙ מַאֲבִ֣יד מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם כֵּ֖ן תֹאבֵד֑וּן עֵ֚קֶב לֹ֣א תִשְׁמְע֔וּן בְּקֹ֖ול יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
(Deuteronomy 8:20)
Like the nations that the LORD destroys before you, so shall you perish, because you would not listen to the voice of the LORD your God.
Word-by-Word Explanation
כַּגֹּויִם — “like the nations.” The preposition כְּ (“like, as”) + plural גֹּויִם (“nations”).
אֲשֶׁר — “that / which.” Relative pronoun introducing a clause.
יְהוָה — “YHWH, the LORD.” The divine name.
מַאֲבִיד — “is destroying / destroys.”… Learn Hebrew
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Voices of the Dead or the Living God? A Hebrew Lesson on Isaiah 8:19
וְכִֽי־יֹאמְר֣וּ אֲלֵיכֶ֗ם דִּרְשׁ֤וּ אֶל־הָאֹבֹות֙ וְאֶל־הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔ים הַֽמְצַפְצְפִ֖ים וְהַמַּהְגִּ֑ים הֲלֹוא־עַם֙ אֶל־אֱלֹהָ֣יו יִדְרֹ֔שׁ בְּעַ֥ד הַחַיִּ֖ים אֶל־הַמֵּתִֽים׃
(Isaiah 8:19)
And when they say to you, “Seek to the mediums and to the spiritists, who chirp and mutter,” should not a people seek to its God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?
“It might seem like a lot, but each verb and suffix you master brings you closer to reading Hebrew as it was first spoken.”
Word-by-Word Explanation
וְכִי־ — “and when.”… Learn Hebrew
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When the Ground Denies Him: A Hebrew Walkthrough of Job 8:18
אִם־יְבַלְּעֶ֥נּוּ מִמְּקֹומֹ֑ו וְכִ֥חֶשׁ בֹּ֝֗ו לֹ֣א רְאִיתִֽיךָ׃
(Job 8:18)
If it swallows him from his place, then it will deny him, saying: “I have not seen you.”
Word-by-Word Explanation
אִם־ – “if.” A conditional particle that sets up a possibility or situation.
יְבַלְּעֶנּוּ – “it swallows him.” From בָּלַע (“to swallow, engulf”), imperfect 3rd masculine singular. The suffix -נּוּ = “him.”
מִמְּקֹומֹו – “from his place.” The preposition מִן (“from”) assimilates before מָקוֹם, giving מִמְּקוֹם. The suffix -וֹ = “his.”
וְכִחֶשׁ – “and it will deny.”… Learn Hebrew
From Dust to Gnats: A Hebrew Lesson in Action
וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֗ן וַיֵּט֩ אַהֲרֹ֨ן אֶת־יָדֹ֤ו בְמַטֵּ֨הוּ֙ וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ וַתְּהִי֙ הַכִּנָּ֔ם בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה כָּל־עֲפַ֥ר הָאָ֛רֶץ הָיָ֥ה כִנִּ֖ים בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(Exodus 8:17)
And they did so, and Aharon stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and it became gnats on man and on beast; all the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Mitsrayim.
Word-by-Word Explanation
וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵן – “and they did so.” From עָשָׂה (“to do, make”), wayyiqtol (narrative past), 3rd person plural.… Learn Hebrew
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“Counsel Is Mine” — Exploring the Voice of Wisdom in Proverbs 8:14
לִֽי־֭עֵצָה וְתוּשִׁיָּ֑ה אֲנִ֥י בִ֝ינָ֗ה לִ֣י גְבוּרָֽה׃
(Proverbs 8:14)
Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, strength is mine.
Word-by-Word Explanation
לִי – “To me” / “Mine”Preposition + Pronoun
– לְ = “to”
– י = “me”
Together, they form a possessive phrase: “is mine” or “belongs to me.”
עֵצָה – “Counsel” Noun, feminine singular
– Refers to guidance, advice, or strategic insight
This word is often associated with wise planning.
וְתוּשִׁיָּה – “and sound wisdom” Noun, feminine singular
– וְ = “and”
– תוּשִׁיָּה = wisdom with stability or resourcefulness
A rich term implying practical, effective insight.… Learn Hebrew
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“Then Bildad the Shuchite Answered and Said”: Hebrew Dialogue in Motion
וַ֭יַּעַן בִּלְדַּ֥ד הַשּׁוּחִ֗י וַיֹאמַֽר׃
(Job 8:1)
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)
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
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