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Recent Articles
- Scroll Marginalia: Weighted Syntax and Sanctified Measures (Numbers 7:31, Onkelos)
- “His Hands Shall Bring the Fire-Offerings”: Learning Sacred Hebrew Through Priestly Ritual
- Grammar of Offering: Enumerative Syntax and Appositional Closure
- The Nation That Would Not Listen: Relative Clauses, Coordinated Verbs, and Elliptical Judgment
- Wisdom in Layers: Demonstrative Syntax and Infinitive Purpose in Qohelet
- The Syntax of Sacred Prohibition: Blood in Leviticus 7:26
- From Exodus to Exhortation: The Syntax of Divine Persistence
- Gathered for Judgment: Syntactic Accumulation in Joshua 7:24
- Flying into the Trap: Syntactic Irony in Proverbs 7:23
- Little by Little: Divine Delay and Wild Beasts
- “And the Fish Died and the Nile Stank”: A Hebrew Lesson from Egypt’s First Plague
- The Subtle Grammar of Possession in Biblical Hebrew
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Category Archives: Grammar
Hebrew Idioms and Metaphors in Proverbs 23:5
Proverbs 23:5 in Hebrew
הֲתָעִיף עֵינֶ֥יךָ בֹּ֗ו וְֽאֵ֫ינֶ֥נּוּ כִּ֤י עָשֹׂ֣ה יַעֲשֶׂה־לֹּ֣ו כְנָפַ֑יִם כְּ֝נֶ֗שֶׁר וָעִ֥יף הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
Introduction to Hebrew Idioms in Proverbs
Proverbs 23:5 uses vivid metaphorical language and idiomatic expressions to describe the fleeting nature of wealth. The verse states:
הֲתָעִיף עֵינֶ֥יךָ בֹּ֗ו וְֽאֵ֫ינֶ֥נּוּ – “Will you set your eyes upon it, and it is gone?”
כִּ֤י עָשֹׂ֣ה יַעֲשֶׂה־לֹּ֣ו כְנָפַ֑יִם – “For it will surely make wings for itself.”
כְּנֶ֗שֶׁר וָעִ֥יף הַשָּׁמָֽיִם – “Like an eagle flying toward the heavens.”
These expressions reflect a poetic warning about the transience of riches.… Learn Hebrew
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The Use of Rhetorical Questions and Parallelism in Biblical Hebrew (Habakkuk 3:8)
Habakkuk 3:8 in Hebrew
הֲבִנְהָרִים֙ חָרָ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה אִ֤ם בַּנְּהָרִים֙ אַפֶּ֔ךָ אִם־בַּיָּ֖ם עֶבְרָתֶ֑ךָ כִּ֤י תִרְכַּב֙ עַל־סוּסֶ֔יךָ מַרְכְּבֹתֶ֖יךָ יְשׁוּעָֽה׃
Introduction to Rhetorical Questions and Parallelism
Habakkuk 3:8 presents a vivid poetic description of God’s power, employing rhetorical questions and parallelism to emphasize divine action. The verse asks:
הֲבִנְהָרִים֙ חָרָ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה – “Was the LORD angry with the rivers?”
אִ֤ם בַּנְּהָרִים֙ אַפֶּ֔ךָ – “Was Your wrath against the rivers?”
אִם־בַּיָּ֖ם עֶבְרָתֶ֑ךָ – “Was Your fury against the sea?”
These rhetorical questions emphasize that God’s actions are not arbitrary but part of His divine plan.… Learn Hebrew
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The Use of וַיְהִי in Biblical Hebrew Narrative (Ruth 1:1)
Ruth 1:1 in Hebrew
וַיְהִ֗י בִּימֵי֙ שְׁפֹ֣ט הַשֹּׁפְטִ֔ים וַיְהִ֥י רָעָ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ אִ֜ישׁ מִבֵּ֧ית לֶ֣חֶם יְהוּדָ֗ה לָגוּר֙ בִּשְׂדֵ֣י מֹואָ֔ב ה֥וּא וְאִשְׁתֹּ֖ו וּשְׁנֵ֥י בָנָֽיו׃
Introduction to וַיְהִי
The opening of Ruth 1:1 features the phrase וַיְהִי בִּימֵי (“And it came to pass in the days of…”). The verb וַיְהִי (vayhī) is a common Biblical Hebrew construction that introduces narrative events and often signals the beginning of a new episode.
Understanding וַיְהִי in Context
– וַיְהִי is the waw-consecutive imperfect form of הָיָה (hayah, “to be” or “to happen”).… Learn Hebrew
The Use of Rhetorical Questions in Biblical Hebrew (Psalms 94:9)
Psalms 94:9 in Hebrew
הֲנֹ֣טַֽע אֹ֭זֶן הֲלֹ֣א יִשְׁמָ֑ע אִֽם־יֹ֥צֵֽר עַ֝֗יִן הֲלֹ֣א יַבִּֽיט׃
Introduction to Rhetorical Questions
Psalms 94:9 uses rhetorical questions to emphasize the power and awareness of God. The verse asks:
הֲנֹ֣טַֽע אֹ֭זֶן הֲלֹ֣א יִשְׁמָ֑ע – “The one who planted the ear, does He not hear?”
אִֽם־יֹ֥צֵֽר עַ֝֗יִן הֲלֹ֣א יַבִּֽיט – “If He formed the eye, does He not see?”
These are rhetorical questions, meaning they do not expect an answer but instead affirm a truth.
Understanding the Rhetorical Structure
1.… Learn Hebrew
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The Parallel Verbs שִׁמְעוּ and הַאֲזִינוּ in Biblical Hebrew (Joel 1:2)
Joel 1:2 in Hebrew
שִׁמְעוּ־זֹאת֙ הַזְּקֵנִ֔ים וְהַֽאֲזִ֔ינוּ כֹּ֖ל יֹושְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ הֶהָ֤יְתָה זֹּאת֙ בִּֽימֵיכֶ֔ם וְאִ֖ם בִּימֵ֥י אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃
Introduction to שִׁמְעוּ and הַאֲזִינוּ
In Joel 1:2, two verbs are used in parallel: שִׁמְעוּ (shimʿū, “hear”) and הַאֲזִינוּ (haʾăzīnū, “give ear” or “listen”). These verbs appear frequently in Biblical Hebrew prophetic texts and often carry distinct nuances.
Understanding שִׁמְעוּ and הַאֲזִינוּ in Context
– שִׁמְעוּ is the imperative plural form of שָׁמַע (šāmaʿ), meaning “to hear” or “to listen.”
– הַאֲזִינוּ is the imperative plural form of אָזַן (ʾāzan), meaning “to give ear” or “to pay close attention.”… Learn Hebrew
The Idiomatic Expression נַפְשִׁי בְכַפִּי in Biblical Hebrew (Judges 12:3)
Judges 12:3 in Hebrew
וָֽאֶרְאֶ֞ה כִּֽי־אֵינְךָ֣ מֹושִׁ֗יעַ וָאָשִׂ֨ימָה נַפְשִׁ֤י בְכַפִּי֙ וָֽאֶעְבְּרָה֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י עַמֹּ֔ון וַיִּתְּנֵ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה בְּיָדִ֑י וְלָמָ֞ה עֲלִיתֶ֥ם אֵלַ֛י הַיֹּ֥ום הַזֶּ֖ה לְהִלָּ֥חֶם בִּֽי׃
Introduction to נַפְשִׁי בְכַפִּי
In Judges 12:3, the phrase נַפְשִׁי בְכַפִּי appears, which can be translated as “I put my life in my hand.” This is an idiomatic expression in Biblical Hebrew that conveys the idea of taking extreme personal risk or putting oneself in danger.
Understanding נַפְשִׁי בְכַפִּי in Context
– נַפְשִׁי (nafshī) – “my soul” or “my life.”… Learn Hebrew
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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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