Category Archives: Beginners

Biblical Hebrew for Beginners

When Silence Becomes Guilt

Posted on October 18, 2019 by Hebrew Grammar for Beginners

וְהָיָ֗ה הָאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יִשְׁמַע֙ אֶל־דְּבָרַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְדַבֵּ֖ר בִּשְׁמִ֑י אָנֹכִ֖י אֶדְרֹ֥שׁ מֵעִמֹּֽו׃ (Deuteronomy 18:19) A Voice That Must Be Heard This verse is a solemn divine warning. YHWH declares that He Himself will hold accountable any person who refuses to heed the prophet who speaks in His name. The setting is covenantal: Israel has asked for an intermediary so they won’t hear God’s overwhelming voice directly (see v. 16), and God agrees—yet with one condition: the prophet’s word must still carry divine authority.… Learn Hebrew

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Joyful Return: Exploring Isaiah 35:10 in Beginner Hebrew

Posted on September 15, 2019 by Hebrew Grammar for Beginners

וּפְדוּיֵ֨י יְהוָ֜ה יְשֻׁב֗וּן וּבָ֤אוּ צִיֹּון֙ בְּרִנָּ֔ה וְשִׂמְחַ֥ת עֹולָ֖ם עַל־רֹאשָׁ֑ם שָׂשֹׂ֤ון וְשִׂמְחָה֙ יַשִּׂ֔יגוּ וְנָ֖סוּ יָגֹ֥ון וַאֲנָחָֽה (Isaiah 35:10) This powerful and poetic verse from Isaiah is filled with emotion, movement, and transformation. We’ll use it to explore basic Hebrew grammar, focusing on verbs, nouns, and how Hebrew expresses joy and deliverance using rhythm and repetition. English Translation (Simple and Clear) And the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and they shall come to Zion with singing, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads.… Learn Hebrew

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Engraved Forever: Hebrew Imagery in Job 19:24

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Hebrew Grammar for Beginners

בְּעֵט־בַּרְזֶ֥ל וְעֹפָ֑רֶת לָ֝עַ֗ד בַּצּ֥וּר יֵחָצְבֽוּן׃ (Job 19:24) This poetic line from the Book of Job expresses a longing for permanence—words written so they could never be erased. It uses vivid imagery of engraving into rock with metal and lead. The verse is beautifully constructed and introduces vocabulary from the world of ancient inscriptions. Let’s dig in! English Translation (Literal and Clear) With an iron stylus and lead, forever they would be carved in the rock. Job wishes his words would be permanently recorded—not just written in ink, but engraved in stone with iron and filled with lead to last forever.… Learn Hebrew

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Hunger and Calamity: A Miniature Poem of Judgment in Job 18:12

Posted on December 30, 2018 by Hebrew Grammar for Beginners

יְהִי־רָעֵ֥ב אֹנֹ֑ו וְ֝אֵ֗יד נָכֹ֥ון לְצַלְעֹֽו׃ (Job 18:12) This short poetic verse is part of Bildad’s speech in the Book of Job, describing the fate of the wicked. The verse may look small, but it’s packed with Biblical Hebrew features: jussive verbs (wishes or commands), rare vocabulary, parallel structure, and construct phrases. Let’s learn how it works! English Translation (Literal and Clear) May hunger consume his strength, and disaster be ready at his side. This is a poetic curse or expression of ruin.… Learn Hebrew

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“The Sons of Yitshar: Shelomith the Chief” – A Brief Genealogical Verse in Hebrew

Posted on May 23, 2018 by Hebrew Grammar for Beginners

בְּנֵ֥י יִצְהָ֖ר שְׁלֹמִ֥ית הָרֹֽאשׁ׃ (1 Chronicles 23:18) The sons of Yitshar: Shelomith the chief. Word-by-Word Explanation בְּנֵי – “sons of”Noun in construct form. – Singular: בֵּן (“son”) – Plural: בָּנִים – Construct form: בְּנֵי (“sons of”) This introduces a genealogical list or descent line. יִצְהָר – “Yitshar”Proper noun. Yitshar is a son of Qehat, a grandson of Levi. This is a Levitical genealogical name (see Exodus 6:18). שְׁלֹמִית – “Shelomith”Proper name. The name of a male descendant of Yitshar (despite similar names sometimes being used for women elsewhere).… Learn Hebrew

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“May the LORD Show You Kindness”: A Joyful Walk Through Ruth 1:8

Posted on January 8, 2018 by Hebrew Grammar for Beginners

וַתֹּ֤אמֶר נָעֳמִי֙ לִשְׁתֵּ֣י כַלֹּתֶ֔יהָ לֵ֣כְנָה שֹּׁ֔בְנָה אִשָּׁ֖ה לְבֵ֣ית אִמָּ֑הּ יַעַשׂ יְהוָ֤ה עִמָּכֶם֙ חֶ֔סֶד כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר עֲשִׂיתֶ֛ם עִם־הַמֵּתִ֖ים וְעִמָּדִֽי׃ (Ruth 1:8) Literal English Translation And Naʿomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each woman to her mother’s house. May YHWH do kindness with you, as you have done with the dead and with me.” Word-by-Word Explanation וַתֹּ֤אמֶר – “And she said”Verb, past tense (called “perfect” in Hebrew). The prefix וַ tells us this is part of a story (called vav-consecutive). The root is אָמַר, meaning “to say.”… Learn Hebrew

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Silence Speaks: Learning Hebrew from a Proverb

Posted on October 28, 2017 by Hebrew Grammar for Beginners

גַּ֤ם אֱוִ֣יל מַ֭חֲרִישׁ חָכָ֣ם יֵחָשֵׁ֑ב אֹטֵ֖ם שְׂפָתָ֣יו נָבֹֽון׃ (Proverbs 17:28) Today’s Hebrew lesson takes us into a poetic proverb. With only a few words, this verse reveals deep wisdom—and teaches us a lot about how Hebrew words and sentences work. English Translation (Plain and Clear) Even a fool, when he is silent, is considered wise; one who shuts his lips is thought discerning. This proverb uses poetic parallelism: it says the same idea two different ways. Let’s dive into the Hebrew step by step.… Learn Hebrew

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Inheritance and Intercession: Learning Hebrew from Joshua 17:4

Posted on April 21, 2017 by Hebrew Grammar for Beginners

וַתִּקְרַ֡בְנָה לִפְנֵי֩ אֶלְעָזָ֨ר הַכֹּהֵ֜ן וְלִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹושֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֗וּן וְלִפְנֵ֤י הַנְּשִׂיאִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יְהוָה֙ צִוָּ֣ה אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֔ה לָֽתֶת־לָ֥נוּ נַחֲלָ֖ה בְּתֹ֣וךְ אַחֵ֑ינוּ וַיִּתֵּ֨ן לָהֶ֜ם אֶל־פִּ֤י יְהוָה֙ נַֽחֲלָ֔ה בְּתֹ֖וךְ אֲחֵ֥י אֲבִיהֶֽן׃ (Joshua 17:4) This verse tells the story of women who boldly stood before Israel’s leaders to claim their rightful inheritance. It’s a wonderful passage for beginners because it includes verbs in multiple forms, prepositions, speech formulas, and rich narrative flow. Let’s examine it closely! English Translation (Plain and Clear) And they came near before Elʿazar the priest, and before Yehoshua son of Nun, and before the leaders, saying: “YHWH commanded Moshe to give us an inheritance among our brothers.”… Learn Hebrew

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Who May Eat the Offering? Exploring a Sacred Rule in Leviticus 6:22

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Hebrew Grammar for Beginners

כָּל־זָכָ֥ר בַּכֹּהֲנִ֖ים יֹאכַ֣ל אֹתָ֑הּ קֹ֥דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֖ים הִֽוא׃ (Leviticus 6:22) Every male among the priests may eat it; it is most holy. Word-by-Word Explanation כָּל־ – “every”Adjective meaning “all” or “every.” A versatile Hebrew word used to describe the totality of a group. The little dash (־) is a maqqef, which links it closely to the next word. זָכָ֥ר – “male”Noun. This tells us the rule is specifically about males. Combined with כָּל־, we get: “every male.” בַּכֹּהֲנִ֖ים – “among the priests”This is the preposition בְּ (“in” or “among”) combined with הַ (“the”) and כֹּהֲנִים (“priests”).… Learn Hebrew

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When Not to Enter: Learning Commands, Prohibitions, and Sacred Space in Leviticus 16:2

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Hebrew Grammar for Beginners

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה דַּבֵּר֮ אֶל־אַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִיךָ֒ וְאַל־יָבֹ֤א בְכָל־עֵת֙ אֶל־הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ מִבֵּ֖ית לַפָּרֹ֑כֶת אֶל־פְּנֵ֨י הַכַּפֹּ֜רֶת אֲשֶׁ֤ר עַל־הָאָרֹן֙ וְלֹ֣א יָמ֔וּת כִּ֚י בֶּֽעָנָ֔ן אֵרָאֶ֖ה עַל־הַכַּפֹּֽרֶת׃ (Leviticus 16:2) This verse offers a powerful combination of divine command, warning, and sacred instruction. It’s full of useful Hebrew grammar, including verbs in imperative and imperfect forms, negative commands, prepositional phrases, and subordinate clauses. Let’s carefully explore how it all fits together. English Translation (Plain and Faithful) And the LORD said to Moshe, “Speak to Aharon your brother, that he not come at all times into the sanctuary behind the curtain, before the atonement-cover that is on the ark, so that he not die—for in a cloud I will appear upon the atonement-cover.”… Learn Hebrew

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