Category Archives: Binyanim

The Seven Binyanim (Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, Hiphil, Hophal, Hitpael)

Strike, Save, and Seek: How the Binyanim Build the Battle

Posted on February 23, 2023 by Biblical Hebrew

וַיִּשְׁאַ֨ל דָּוִ֤ד בַּֽיהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַאֵלֵ֣ךְ וְהִכֵּ֔יתִי בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה ס וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד לֵ֚ךְ וְהִכִּ֣יתָ בַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְהֹושַׁעְתָּ֖ אֶת־קְעִילָֽה׃ (1 Samuel 23:2) And Dawid inquired of YHWH saying shall I go and strike down these Pelishtim and YHWH said to Dawid go and you shall strike the Pelishtim and you shall save Qeʿilah Introduction: A Tactical Prayer in Verbal Stems In 1 Samuel 23:2, Dawid pauses before battle. His inquiry and God’s response are framed by verbs of decision, warfare, and rescue. The binyanim in this verse give these verbs emotional tone and theological depth: from humble inquiry to aggressive assault, from obedience to salvation.… Learn Hebrew

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Terror as a Teacher: How Binyanim Drive the Plea in Psalm 9:20

Posted on September 20, 2022 by Biblical Hebrew

שִׁ֘יתָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה מֹורָ֗ה לָ֫הֶ֥ם יֵדְע֥וּ גֹויִ֑ם אֱנֹ֖ושׁ הֵ֣מָּה סֶּֽלָה׃ (Psalm 9:20) Place YHWH terror upon them let the nations know they are mortals Selah Introduction: When Syntax Pleads and Binyanim Roar Psalm 9:20 is not merely a poetic appeal for justice—it is a syntactic cry for divine instruction through fear. The verbs שִׁ֘יתָ֤ה and יֵדְע֥וּ stand as cornerstones in this verse, one anchoring a divine imperative, the other foretelling its human result. Each verb comes wrapped in a distinct binyan, and together they construct a powerful theological architecture: God places terror, and in response, the nations come to know who and what they truly are.… Learn Hebrew

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When the Soul Sinks and Soars: The Binyanim of Inner Dialogue

Posted on December 12, 2021 by Biblical Hebrew

מַה־תִּשְׁתֹּ֬וחֲחִ֨י נַפְשִׁי֮ וַתֶּהֱמִ֪י עָ֫לָ֥י הֹוחִ֣ילִי לֵֽ֭אלֹהִים כִּי־עֹ֥וד אֹודֶ֗נּוּ יְשׁוּעֹ֥ות פָּנָֽיו׃ (Psalm 42:6) Why are you cast down my soul and why do you murmur within me hope in God for I shall yet praise Him the salvations of His face Introduction: Verbs in Conversation with the Self Psalm 42:6 captures a spiritual conversation—not with God, but within the self. The psalmist questions his soul, rebukes its despair, and rekindles hope. But this inward discourse is framed by carefully chosen binyanim that mirror the emotional swing from depression to praise.… Learn Hebrew

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Unveiling and Withholding: The Dance of the Binyanim in Exodus 6:3

Posted on June 3, 2021 by Biblical Hebrew

וָאֵרָ֗א אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶל־יִצְחָ֥ק וְאֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּאֵ֣ל שַׁדָּ֑י וּשְׁמִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לֹ֥א נֹודַ֖עְתִּי לָהֶֽם׃ (Exodus 6:3) And I appeared to Avraham to Yitsḥaq and to Yaʿaqov as El Shaddai and My name YHWH I was not known to them Introduction: Divine Revelation and Hiddenness This verse from Exodus 6:3 captures one of the most theologically charged moments in the Torah: the contrast between appearing and being known. At the heart of this verse lies a subtle and profound play between two binyanim—Niphal and Qal.… Learn Hebrew

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Shaking Words and Shifting Roles: The Binyanim in Job’s Sarcastic Rebuke

Posted on April 16, 2021 by Biblical Hebrew

גַּ֤ם אָנֹכִי֮ כָּכֶ֪ם אֲדַ֫בֵּ֥רָה ל֤וּ־יֵ֪שׁ נַפְשְׁכֶ֡ם תַּ֤חַת נַפְשִׁ֗י אַחְבִּ֣ירָה עֲלֵיכֶ֣ם בְּמִלִּ֑ים וְאָנִ֥יעָה עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם בְּמֹ֣ו רֹאשִֽׁי׃ (Job 16:4) I also, like you, would speak; if only your soul were in place of mine, I would join words together over you, and I would shake over you with the nodding of my head. Overview: Expressing Irony Through Binyanim Job 16:4 is a masterful example of Biblical Hebrew’s expressive potential. In this verse, Job sarcastically imagines himself trading places with his accusers. The verbs he chooses reflect control, creativity, and confrontation—each shaped by its binyan.… Learn Hebrew

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Between Joy and Judgment: The Binyanim That Pull the Soul

Posted on September 11, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew

שְׂמַ֧ח בָּח֣וּר בְּיַלְדוּתֶ֗יךָ וִֽיטִֽיבְךָ֤ לִבְּךָ֙ בִּימֵ֣י בְחוּרֹותֶ֔ךָ וְהַלֵּךְ֙ בְּדַרְכֵ֣י לִבְּךָ֔ וּבְמַרְאֵ֖י עֵינֶ֑יךָ וְדָ֕ע כִּ֧י עַל־כָּל־אֵ֛לֶּה יְבִֽיאֲךָ֥ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃ (Ecclesiastes 11:9) Rejoice young man in your youth and let your heart make you good in the days of your young manhood and walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes but know that for all these the God will bring you to judgment. Introduction: Tension in the Verbal Tapestry Ecclesiastes 11:9 calls to the young with a paradox: embrace joy, yet remain sober.… Learn Hebrew

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When the Stem Cuts Deep: The Power of Passive and Active Binyanim in Leviticus 7:20

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew

וְהַנֶּ֜פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־תֹּאכַ֣ל בָּשָׂ֗ר מִזֶּ֤בַח הַשְּׁלָמִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לַיהוָ֔ה וְטֻמְאָתֹ֖ו עָלָ֑יו וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מֵעַמֶּֽיהָ׃ (Leviticus 7:20) And the person who eats flesh from the slaughter-offering of peace which is for YHWH and his impurity is upon him that person shall be cut off from his people Verbal Landscape of the Verse This verse contains two verbs of critical legal and theological weight: 1. תֹּאכַל — “eats” 2. וְנִכְרְתָה — “shall be cut off” Each verb represents a distinct binyan and communicates contrasting grammatical voices—active versus passive.… Learn Hebrew

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Binyanim and Redemption: The Verbal Architecture of Micah 6:4

Posted on June 4, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew

כִּ֤י הֶעֱלִתִ֨יךָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּמִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִ֖ים פְּדִיתִ֑יךָ וָאֶשְׁלַ֣ח לְפָנֶ֔יךָ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֖ה אַהֲרֹ֥ן וּמִרְיָֽם׃ (Micah 6:4) For I brought you up from the land of Mitsrayim and from the house of slavery I redeemed you and I sent before you Moshe Aharon and Miryam Introduction: Three Verbs, Three Movements of Redemption Micah 6:4 delivers a divine reminder, not through theological argument, but through verbs. Each verb is a milestone of redemption: bringing up, redeeming, and sending. And each verb arrives via a different binyan, each chosen not by accident, but by the deep currents of Hebrew verbal nuance.… Learn Hebrew

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Beauty in the Future Tense: The Quiet Binyanim of Isaiah’s Vision

Posted on May 28, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew

בַּיֹּ֣ום הַה֗וּא יִֽהְיֶה֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות לַעֲטֶ֣רֶת צְבִ֔י וְלִצְפִירַ֖ת תִּפְאָרָ֑ה לִשְׁאָ֖ר עַמֹּֽו׃ (Isaiah 28:5) In that day YHWH of Hosts shall be for a crown of beauty and for a diadem of glory to the remnant of His people Introduction: A Verse of Becoming, Not Doing Isaiah 28:5 delivers a poetic promise: in the midst of judgment and chaos, YHWH will become something glorious for His people. Interestingly, though filled with majestic nouns, this verse contains only one verb—and it belongs to the simplest binyan, yet carries the greatest theological weight.… Learn Hebrew

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Leading the Praise: One Passive Binyan That Sings from the Shadows

Posted on August 12, 2019 by Biblical Hebrew

וְהַלְוִיִּ֗ם יֵשׁ֧וּעַ בִּנּ֛וּי קַדְמִיאֵ֥ל שֵׁרֵבְיָ֖ה יְהוּדָ֣ה מַתַּנְיָ֑ה עַֽל־הֻיְּדֹ֖ות ה֥וּא וְאֶחָֽיו׃ (Nehemiah 12:8) And the Lĕwiyyim Yeshua Binnui Qadmīʾel Shērēvyah Yehudah Mattanyah over the thanksgivings he and his brothers Introduction: A Verse with Sparse Verbs and Deep Reverberations At first glance, Nehemiah 12:8 appears to be a list of Levitical names and duties. Only one verb surfaces—yet it carries the entire functional weight of the verse. This verb, hidden in a rare binyan, shapes the worship structure of the Second Temple. Let’s explore how one carefully chosen verbal stem—the Hophal—carries theological resonance and grammatical beauty.… Learn Hebrew

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