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Recent Articles
- The Hebrew Verb בָּרַר: To Choose, Purify, or Examine Carefully
- Grammatical Deception: Mood, Syntax, and Speech in Judges 4:20
- The Hebrew Verb בֵּרֵךְ: To Bless, Kneel, or Bestow Favor
- Stumbling in Darkness: Imagery, Negation, and Parallelism in Proverbs 4:19
- The Hebrew Verb בָּרַח: To Flee, Escape, or Run Away
- Negative Imperative with Jussive Verbs and Genitive Apposition
- The Hebrew Verb בָּרָא: To Create, Bring into Existence
- Sequential Devastation: Narrative Syntax and Theological Catastrophe in 1 Samuel 4:17
- The Hebrew Verb בִּקֵּשׁ: To Seek, Request, or Desire
- “He Shall Be Your Mouth”: Syntax of Mediation and Divine Authority in Exodus 4:16
- The Hebrew Verb בָּקַר: To Seek, Inquire, or Inspect
- The Mark of Mercy: Legal Syntax and Divine Protection in Genesis 4:15
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Category Archives: Grammar
“There Is an Evil I Have Seen”: The Declarative יֵ֣שׁ + רָעָ֔ה as Philosophical Alarm in Ecclesiastes 6:1
Introduction to Ecclesiastes 6:1: A Refrain of Disturbance Ecclesiastes 6:1 begins with a haunting declaration: יֵ֣שׁ רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ—“There is an evil that I have seen under the sun.” This recurring formula in Qohelet’s discourse is not merely … Continue reading
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“Watch Your Step”: The Imperative שְׁמֹ֣ר רַגְלֶיךָ and Reverence in Worship
Introduction to Ecclesiastes 4:17: Approaching the House of Elohim with Caution Ecclesiastes 4:17 (5:1 in English Bibles) opens with a striking imperative: שְׁמֹ֣ר רַגְלֶיךָ—“guard your feet.” This instruction is not about physical safety, but spiritual posture. Qohelet urges the worshiper … Continue reading
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Coordinated Wayyiqtol Verbs and Procedural Sequencing in Priestly Instruction
Introduction to Numbers 4:5 This verse outlines a ritual procedure to be performed by Aharon and his sons when the Israelite camp sets out. It employs a clear sequence of wayyiqtol verbs to describe actions performed in a fixed order. … Continue reading
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In the Place You Desired: Double Infinitives, Conditional Certainty, and Exile Irony in Jeremiah 42:22
וְעַתָּה֙ יָדֹ֣עַ תֵּֽדְע֔וּ כִּ֗י בַּחֶ֛רֶב בָּרָעָ֥ב וּבַדֶּ֖בֶר תָּמ֑וּתוּ בַּמָּקֹום֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֲפַצְתֶּ֔ם לָבֹ֖וא לָג֥וּר שָֽׁם׃ Contextual Introduction Jeremiah 42:22 closes a divine warning against fleeing to Mitsrayim following the Babylonian conquest. After a long appeal through the prophet, YHWH makes clear … Continue reading
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Tagged Jeremiah 42:22
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“No Comforter for Them”: Repetition as Grief in Ecclesiastes 4:1
Introduction to Ecclesiastes 4:1: Lament Beneath the Sun Ecclesiastes 4:1 returns to a central theme in Qohelet’s worldview—the injustice and sorrow experienced under the sun. The verse is structured as a lamentation, where the Preacher observes the suffering of the … Continue reading
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The Shame of Trust: Syntax, Irony, and Political Theology in Isaiah 30:3
וְהָיָ֥ה לָכֶ֛ם מָעֹ֥וז פַּרְעֹ֖ה לְבֹ֑שֶׁת וְהֶחָס֥וּת בְּצֵל־מִצְרַ֖יִם לִכְלִמָּֽה׃ Contextual Introduction Isaiah 30:3 forms part of a prophetic denunciation of Judah’s reliance on Mitsrayim (Egypt) for political and military security. Instead of trusting in YHWH, the leaders of Judah turn to … Continue reading
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“Tie It Around Your Neck”: The Imperative קָשְׁרֵ֥ם and Internalizing Loyalty and Truth in Proverbs 3:3
Introduction to Proverbs 3:3: Where Character Becomes Ornament In Proverbs 3:3, the speaker urges the hearer to take hold of two foundational virtues: חֶ֥סֶד (loyal love) and אֱמֶ֗ת (truth/faithfulness). These qualities are personified and then treated like precious objects—meant to … Continue reading
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Parallelism and Metaphor in Joel 2:2
Introduction to Joel 2:2 Joel 2:2 is part of a prophetic passage describing the Day of the LORD—a time of judgment and calamity. The verse employs parallelism and metaphorical imagery to depict the darkness and devastation that accompany divine judgment. … Continue reading
“The Grammar of Hiding Treasure”: The Verb תִּצְפֹּ֥ן in Proverbs 2:1
Introduction to Proverbs 2:1: Wisdom as a Stored Inheritance Proverbs 2:1 opens a conditional exhortation from a father to his son, a structure common to wisdom literature. The verse emphasizes the receptive posture necessary for wisdom, and it centers on … Continue reading
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“How Can I Bear Alone?”: Analyzing אֵיכָ֥ה אֶשָּׂ֖א לְבַדִּ֑י in Deuteronomy 1:12
Introduction to Deuteronomy 1:12: Moses’ Burden of Leadership In Deuteronomy 1:12, Moses recounts to the new generation of Israelites the difficulties he experienced in leading the people alone. The key rhetorical expression אֵיכָ֥ה אֶשָּׂ֖א לְבַדִּ֑י—“How can I bear [it] alone?”—employs … Continue reading
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