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Recent Articles
- The Etymology of Hebrew Words: Tracing the Roots of Biblical Meaning
- “You Shall Speak, He Shall Send”: Distributive Prophetic Roles in Translation
- Polysemy in Biblical Hebrew: One Word, Many Worlds
- The Binyanim That Open the Ark: How Form and Function Shape Genesis 7:1
- Verb–Subject–Object (VSO) Word Order in Biblical Hebrew: Syntax, Style, and Theology
- Calls for Blood: Sequential Imperatives and Double Causal כִּי
- Perfect and Imperfect Verbs in Biblical Hebrew: Understanding Completed and Ongoing Action
- “Speak What I Speak”: Mirroring Divine Speech in the Septuagint
- Main Clauses: How Independent Clauses Function in Biblical Hebrew
- On the Day YHWH Spoke: Learning Hebrew Narrative Structure in Exodus 6:28
- Two Voices, One Mission: The Syntactic Unity of Aaron and Moshe in Hebrew and Greek
- Pointing Them Out: Hebrew Grammar in Exodus 6:26
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Category Archives: Grammar
The Use of the Verb יַפְלִא in Biblical Hebrew (Numbers 6:2)
Numbers 6:2 in Hebrew
דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֣ישׁ אֹֽו־אִשָּׁ֗ה כִּ֤י יַפְלִא֙ לִנְדֹּר֙ נֶ֣דֶר נָזִ֔יר לְהַזִּ֖יר לַֽיהוָֽה׃
Introduction to יַפְלִא
In Numbers 6:2, the verb יַפְלִא appears in the phrase כִּ֤י יַפְלִא֙ לִנְדֹּר֙ נֶ֣דֶר נָזִ֔יר, meaning “when a man or woman makes a special vow of a Nazirite.” The verb יַפְלִא comes from the root פלא, which is associated with the ideas of “being extraordinary,” “separating,” or “distinguishing.”
Understanding יַפְלִא in Context
– יַפְלִא is in the Hifil stem, which typically expresses causative action.… Learn Hebrew
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The Use of Distributive Repetition in Biblical Hebrew (Esther 4:3)
Esther 4:3 in Hebrew
וּבְכָל־מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֗ה מְקֹום֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ וְדָתֹו֙ מַגִּ֔יעַ אֵ֤בֶל גָּדֹול֙ לַיְּהוּדִ֔ים וְצֹ֥ום וּבְכִ֖י וּמִסְפֵּ֑ד שַׂ֣ק וָאֵ֔פֶר יֻצַּ֖ע לָֽרַבִּֽים׃
Introduction to Distributive Repetition
In Esther 4:3, we encounter the phrase וּבְכָל־מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֗ה, which translates to “in every province and province.” This structure is an example of distributive repetition, a common feature in Biblical Hebrew that emphasizes that something applies to each individual unit within a group.
Rather than simply stating “in all provinces,” the text repeats the noun מְדִינָה (məḏīnāh, “province”), reinforcing that this event occurred in each and every province separately.… Learn Hebrew
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The Use of the Construct Chain (סְמִיכוּת) in Biblical Hebrew (Zephaniah 3:4)
Zephaniah 3:4 in Hebrew
נְבִיאֶ֨יהָ֙ פֹּֽחֲזִ֔ים אַנְשֵׁ֖י בֹּֽגְדֹ֑ות כֹּהֲנֶ֨יהָ֙ חִלְּלוּ־קֹ֔דֶשׁ חָמְס֖וּ תֹּורָֽה׃
Introduction to the Construct Chain
In Zephaniah 3:4, we encounter multiple instances of סְמִיכוּת (smikhut), also known as the construct chain, a grammatical structure in Biblical Hebrew where two or more nouns are linked together, with the first noun being in the construct state and the second noun determining its meaning.
The construct chain in Hebrew is similar to the genitive (“of”) relationship in English but is expressed through word order and specific changes in noun forms.… Learn Hebrew
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The Use of the Hithpael Stem in Biblical Hebrew (Exodus 14:4)
Exodus 14:4 in Hebrew
וְחִזַּקְתִּ֣י אֶת־לֵב־פַּרְעֹה֮ וְרָדַ֣ף אַחֲרֵיהֶם֒ וְאִכָּבְדָ֤ה בְּפַרְעֹה֙ וּבְכָל־חֵילֹ֔ו וְיָדְע֥וּ מִצְרַ֖יִם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵֽן׃
Introduction to the Hithpael Stem
In Exodus 14:4, we find the verb וְאִכָּבְדָ֤ה (wəʾikkābədāh), derived from the root כבד (kbd), meaning “to be heavy,” “to be honored,” or “to be glorified.” This verb appears in the Hithpael stem, a binyan that often conveys reflexive or intensive passive meanings in Biblical Hebrew.
The Hithpael Form of כבד
The verb וְאִכָּבְדָ֤ה in Exodus 14:4 follows a distinct pattern characteristic of the Hithpael stem:
– The prefix וְ (wə-) marks it as a consecutive imperfect or cohortative form, meaning “I will be glorified” or “let me be glorified.”… Learn Hebrew
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The Use of the Definite Direct Object Marker אֵת in Biblical Hebrew (Genesis 1:1)
Genesis 1:1 in Hebrew
בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Introduction to אֵת
The word אֵת appears twice in Genesis 1:1:
– אֵת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם – “the heavens”
– וְאֵת הָאָֽרֶץ – “and the earth”
In Biblical Hebrew, אֵת functions as the definite direct object marker, which means it marks the noun that receives the action of the verb when the noun is definite.
אֵת as the Definite Direct Object Marker
In Hebrew, when the direct object is definite (e.g., it has the article ה- “the”), it is often preceded by אֵת.… Learn Hebrew
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The Usage of the Hebrew Verb אָהַב (ʾāhav) in the Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew verb אָהַב (ʾāhav), meaning “to love”, is one of the most significant and frequently used verbs in the Hebrew Bible. It expresses a wide range of meanings related to love, including affection between people, devotion to God, and even preferences for things or actions. This article explores the different contexts in which אָהַב appears in the Hebrew Bible, analyzing its grammatical forms, theological implications, and key occurrences.
1. Grammatical Forms of אָהַב
The verb אָהַב is a Qal verb, typically appearing in different tenses and moods:
Past (Perfect): אָהַב (ʾahav) – “he loved”
Present (Participle): אוֹהֵב (ʾohev) – “he loves”
Future (Imperfect): יֶאֱהַב (yeʾehav) – “he will love”
Imperative (Command): אֱהַב (ʾehav) – “love!”… Learn Hebrew
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The Semitic Languages: Origins, Branches, and Grammar
Introduction to the Semitic Language Family
The Semitic languages are among the world’s oldest and most enduring linguistic families, with roots tracing back to the early civilizations of the Near East. These languages have played a foundational role in shaping the linguistic, cultural, and religious history of the Middle East, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa. They form a significant branch of the larger Afro-Asiatic language family, which also includes Egyptian, Berber, Chadic, Cushitic, and Omotic languages.
Historically, the Semitic languages have been spoken by various peoples stretching from the Levant and Mesopotamia to the Arabian Peninsula and Ethiopia.… Learn Hebrew
The Hebrew Verb אָבַד (ʾābad) – Meaning and Usage
The Hebrew verb אָבַד (ʾābad) appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible with meanings related to perishing, being lost, or being destroyed. It plays a significant role in biblical texts, conveying themes of judgment, destruction, and loss. The word is used in various stems, which affect its meaning and function.
Etymology and Root Meaning
The root אָבַד is likely derived from an ancient Semitic root meaning “to be lost” or “to vanish.” It is found in multiple Semitic languages, including Aramaic and Arabic, with similar meanings.… Learn Hebrew
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The Directional ה (He) in Biblical Hebrew: A Comprehensive Analysis
1. Introduction to the Directional He
The directional he (also known as he locale or he directive) is a fascinating feature of Biblical Hebrew grammar, often overlooked in introductory courses but playing a significant role in expressing spatial relationships, motion, and theological nuances. This suffix (-ָה / -ֶה) is primarily added to nouns, especially place names, to indicate direction or destination.
Examples:
מִצְרַיְמָה (Mitsraymah) – “toward Mitsrayim (Egypt)”
הָעִירָה (ha-ʿirah) – “toward the city”
הַשָּׁמַיִםָה (ha-shamaymah) – “toward the heavens”
This suffix is mostly confined to Classical Hebrew and does not persist in later forms of the language, making it a significant feature in biblical texts.… Learn Hebrew
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Similarities Between Hebrew and Arabic
Hebrew and Arabic are two major Semitic languages that share a deep linguistic and historical connection. As members of the same language family, they exhibit striking similarities in phonetics, grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. Both languages developed from a common Semitic ancestor and have influenced each other over centuries of interaction. Despite their distinct evolution, Hebrew and Arabic retain many structural and lexical parallels, making them closely related in linguistic terms. This article explores the key similarities between Hebrew and Arabic, highlighting their shared phonological, grammatical, lexical, and writing system characteristics.… Learn Hebrew
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