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Recent Articles
- “Dust to Boils”: A Hebrew Lesson on Exodus 9:9
- At Ḥoreb: A Hebrew Lesson on Deuteronomy 9:8
- Imperatives, Atonement, and Obedience Formula in Leviticus 9:7
- Poetic Justice and Syntax in Genesis 9:6
- How the Verb Murders: Violence and Verbal Stems in Judges 9:5
- Negation, Emphasis, and Syntax in Genesis 9:4
- Nominal Clauses and Enumerations in Exodus 9:3
- Fear, Dominion, and Syntax: A Grammar Lesson from Genesis 9:2
- “And Job Answered and Said”: A Hebrew Lesson on Job 9:1
- Syntax of Covenant Obedience: The Altar of Uncut Stones in Joshua 8:31
- Unlock the Secrets of the Tanakh: Why Hebrew Morphology is the Key
- The Poetics of Verbal Repetition in Proverbs 8:30
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Category Archives: Beginners
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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“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)
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.”
אֲשֶׁר־בַּיְאֹ֥ר – “that were in the Nile”אֲשֶׁר = “who/which/that” (relative pronoun);
בַּיְאֹר = “in the Nile” (בְּ = in, הַיְאֹר = the Nile → assimilated to בַּיְאֹר).… Learn Hebrew
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“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
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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)
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.
מִן־הָעָם – “from the people”Preposition + Noun.… Learn Hebrew
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“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
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On the Day YHWH Spoke: Learning Hebrew Narrative Structure in Exodus 6:28
וַיְהִ֗י בְּיֹ֨ום דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(Exodus 6:28)
And it came to pass on the day that YHWH spoke to Moshe in the land of Mitsrayim (Egypt).
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.
This is a time marker.… Learn Hebrew
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