Category Archives: Grammar

Biblical Hebrew Grammar

Volitional Imperfects and Poetic Subjunctive Expression

Posted on September 7, 2022 by Biblical Hebrew

אָמַ֨רְתִּי֙ אֶעֱלֶ֣ה בְתָמָ֔ר אֹֽחֲזָ֖ה בְּסַנְסִנָּ֑יו וְיִֽהְיוּ־נָ֤א שָׁדַ֨יִךְ֙ כְּאֶשְׁכְּלֹ֣ות הַגֶּ֔פֶן וְרֵ֥יחַ אַפֵּ֖ךְ כַּתַּפּוּחִֽים׃ (Song of Songs 7:9) I said, “I will climb the palm tree; I will grasp its branches. May your breasts be like clusters of the vine, and the scent of your nose like apples.” Introduction to Song of Songs 7:9 This highly poetic and sensuous verse expresses a male speaker’s desire using a sequence of imperfect verbs that reflect volition, desire, and poetic imagination. The verse features multiple uses of the imperfect with cohortative or subjunctive meaning, including the particle נָא, which emphasizes the speaker’s wish.… Learn Hebrew

Posted in Grammar | Tagged Song of Songs 7:9 | Comments Off

The Untamed Beast: Interrogatives, Imperfects, and Domestication Imagery in Job 39:9

Posted on September 3, 2022 by Biblical Hebrew

הֲיֹ֣אבֶה רֵּ֣ים עָבְדֶ֑ךָ אִם־יָלִין עַל־אֲבוּסֶֽךָ׃ (Job 39:9) Will the wild ox be willing to serve you, or will he lodge by your manger? Opening Interrogative: הֲיֹאבֶה רֵים עָבְדֶךָ הֲ is the interrogative particle introducing a yes/no question: “Will…?” יֹאבֶה (“will he be willing?”) is a Qal imperfect 3ms of א־ב־ה (“to be willing, consent”) — projecting a hypothetical or doubtful future action. רֵים — a wild ox or untamable beast, used symbolically here for strength and independence עָבְדֶךָ — “your servant,” from עֶבֶד with the 2ms possessive suffix Together: “Will the wild ox be willing to serve you?”… Learn Hebrew

Posted in Grammar | Tagged Job 39:9 | Comments Off

“I Gave to My Heart”: The Inner Dialogue of Qohelet in Ecclesiastes 9:1

Posted on September 1, 2022 by Biblical Hebrew

כִּ֣י אֶת־כָּל־זֶ֞ה נָתַ֤תִּי אֶל־לִבִּי֙ וְלָב֣וּר אֶת־כָּל־זֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר הַצַּדִּיקִ֧ים וְהַחֲכָמִ֛ים וַעֲבָדֵיהֶ֖ם בְּיַ֣ד הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים גַּֽם־אַהֲבָ֣ה גַם־שִׂנְאָ֗ה אֵ֤ין יֹודֵ֨עַ֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם הַכֹּ֖ל לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃ (Ecclesiastes 9:1) For all this I set to my heart, and to examine all this: that the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Both love as well as hatred, man does not know; everything is before them. Reflection in the Hand of God Ecclesiastes 9:1 opens with a deeply introspective declaration: כִּ֣י אֶת־כָּל־זֶ֞ה נָתַ֤תִּי אֶל־לִבִּי֙—“For all this I laid to my heart.”… Learn Hebrew

Posted in Grammar | Tagged Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiastes 9:1 | Comments Off

Farming Injustice: The Power of Participial Constructions in Proverbs

Posted on August 30, 2022 by Biblical Hebrew

זֹורֵ֣עַ עַ֭וְלָה יקצור־אָ֑וֶן וְשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָתֹ֣ו יִכְלֶֽה׃ (Proverbs 22:8) Sowing injustice, he will reap iniquity, and the rod of his fury will come to an end. Introduction to Participial Constructions In Biblical Hebrew, participial constructions—especially those built on the Qal binyan—are far more than descriptive modifiers. They frequently function as predicates that carry temporal, habitual, or even modal meaning. The participle זֹורֵעַ (“sowing”) in Proverbs 22:8 opens a proverbial declaration about moral causality, serving as a vivid emblem of ongoing or characteristic behavior.… Learn Hebrew

Posted in Grammar, Syntax | Tagged Proverbs 22:8 | Comments Off

Open Hand, Open Eyes: Participles and Antithetic Parallelism in Proverbs 28:27

Posted on August 27, 2022 by Biblical Hebrew

נֹותֵ֣ן לָ֭רָשׁ אֵ֣ין מַחְסֹ֑ור וּמַעְלִ֥ים עֵ֝ינָ֗יו רַב־מְאֵרֹֽות׃ (Proverbs 28:27) He who gives to the poor will not lack; but he who hides his eyes will have many curses. Qal Participle as Subject: נֹותֵ֣ן לָ֭רָשׁ נֹותֵ֣ן (“one who gives”) is a Qal participle masculine singular from the root נ־ת־ן (“to give”). In Hebrew proverbs, participles often function as nouns — here, “the giver.” The phrase לָרָשׁ (“to the poor”) uses the preposition לְ with the definite article prefixed to רָשׁ (“poor, destitute”), indicating the recipient of the giving.… Learn Hebrew

Posted in Grammar | Tagged Proverbs 28:27 | Comments Off

Power and Possession — Ellipsis, Inversion, and the Irony of Control

Posted on August 12, 2022 by Biblical Hebrew

וְאִ֣ישׁ זְ֭רֹועַ לֹ֣ו הָאָ֑רֶץ וּנְשׂ֥וּא פָ֝נִ֗ים יֵ֣שֶׁב בָּֽהּ׃ (Job 22:8) But the man of strength—he possessed the land; and the one lifted in face dwelled in it. Opening the Frame Job 22:8 is part of Eliphaz’s sweeping accusation against Job, painting a world where the strong dominate and the elite are rewarded. But behind the simplicity of the Hebrew lies a puzzle of syntax and meaning. The verse lacks a finite verb in its first clause and presents two ambiguous noun phrases whose relationship is left unsaid.… Learn Hebrew

Posted in Grammar, Syntax | Tagged Job 22:8 | Comments Off

Disjunctive Conditional Clauses and Intentionality Markers in Legal Hebrew

Posted on August 12, 2022 by Biblical Hebrew

וְאִם־בְּפֶ֥תַע בְּלֹא־אֵיבָ֖ה הֲדָפֹ֑ו אֹו־הִשְׁלִ֥יךְ עָלָ֛יו כָּל־כְּלִ֖י בְּלֹ֥א צְדִיָּֽה׃ But if suddenly, without enmity, he pushed him, or threw upon him any object without intent. Introduction to Numbers 35:22 This verse introduces an exception within the laws of homicide: when a killing occurs unintentionally. The structure employs a disjunctive conditional clause, using וְאִם to contrast earlier cases of intentional murder. The verse also includes phrases that convey lack of intent, such as בְּלֹא־אֵיבָה (“without enmity”) and בְּלֹא צְדִיָּה (“without premeditation”). This lesson explores the grammatical construction of disjunctive conditions, the use of prepositional phrases to negate intent, and how Hebrew expresses legal nuance through clause structure.… Learn Hebrew

Posted in Grammar | Tagged Numbers 35:22 | Comments Off

“Who Knows the Interpretation?” – Unlocking פֵּ֣שֶׁר דָּבָ֑ר in Ecclesiastes 8:1

Posted on August 1, 2022 by Biblical Hebrew

מִ֚י כְּהֶ֣חָכָ֔ם וּמִ֥י יֹודֵ֖עַ פֵּ֣שֶׁר דָּבָ֑ר חָכְמַ֤ת אָדָם֙ תָּאִ֣יר פָּנָ֔יו וְעֹ֥ז פָּנָ֖יו יְשֻׁנֶּֽא׃ (Ecclesiastes 8:1) Who is like the wise man, and who knows the interpretation of a matter? The wisdom of a man makes his face shine, and the strength of his face is changed. Wisdom That Transfigures the Face This exquisite proverb-like reflection in Ecclesiastes 8:1 opens with two rhetorical questions and closes with a poetic image. The key phrase, פֵּ֣שֶׁר דָּבָ֑ר (“the interpretation of a matter”), evokes the ancient Hebrew concern not only for knowledge but for the deeper understanding that wisdom alone provides.… Learn Hebrew

Posted in Grammar, Vocabulary | Tagged Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiastes 8:1 | Comments Off

“Better Than Oil”: The Wisdom of Comparison in טֹ֥וב שֵׁ֖ם מִשֶּׁ֣מֶן טֹ֑וב

Posted on July 1, 2022 by Biblical Hebrew

טֹ֥וב שֵׁ֖ם מִשֶּׁ֣מֶן טֹ֑וב וְיֹ֣ום הַמָּ֔וֶת מִיֹּ֖ום הִוָּלְדֹֽו׃ (Ecclesiastes 7:1) A name is better than good oil, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth. Of Names and Anointing Ecclesiastes 7:1 begins a series of paradoxical proverbs, and it opens with a poetic comparison that captures the essence of legacy: טֹ֥וב שֵׁ֖ם מִשֶּׁ֣מֶן טֹ֑וב. This proverbial saying not only showcases elegant Hebrew parallelism but also delivers a striking message about the value of character versus appearance, of reputation over ritual.… Learn Hebrew

Posted in Grammar, Theology | Tagged Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiastes 7:1 | Comments Off

The Law of the Nest: Syntax, Participles, and Imperative Mercy in Deuteronomy 22:6

Posted on June 22, 2022 by Biblical Hebrew

כִּ֣י יִקָּרֵ֣א קַן־צִפֹּ֣ור לְפָנֶ֡יךָ בַּדֶּ֜רֶךְ בְּכָל־עֵ֣ץ אֹ֣ו עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֶפְרֹחִים֙ אֹ֣ו בֵיצִ֔ים וְהָאֵ֤ם רֹבֶ֨צֶת֙ עַל־הָֽאֶפְרֹחִ֔ים אֹ֖ו עַל־הַבֵּיצִ֑ים לֹא־תִקַּ֥ח הָאֵ֖ם עַל־הַבָּנִֽים׃ (Deuteronomy 22:6) If a bird’s nest happens to be before you on the way, in any tree or on the ground, chicks or eggs, and the mother is sitting on the chicks or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. Conditional Mercy: כִּי יִקָּרֵא קַן־צִפֹּר לְפָנֶיךָ כִּי — Often introducing conditional or causal clauses. Here: “If…” יִקָּרֵא — Niphal imperfect 3ms from ק־ר־א, “to happen, encounter.”… Learn Hebrew

Posted in Grammar, Syntax | Tagged Deuteronomy 22:6 | Comments Off