Category Archives: Grammar

Biblical Hebrew Grammar

Sequential Action and Leadership: The Wayyiqtol Chain in Judges 3:27

Introduction to Judges 3:27: Trumpets, Terrain, and Tactical Leadership This verse describes the pivotal moment when Ehud, after escaping from Eglon, mobilizes the Israelites by sounding the shofar in the hill country of Ephraim. The structure of this verse is … Continue reading

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Internal Monologue and Root-Derived Wordplay in Obadiah 1:3

Introduction to Obadiah 1:3: The Language of Arrogance and Illusion Obadiah 1:3 confronts the arrogant mindset of Edom, using highly expressive Hebrew grammar to portray internal thought, deceptive self-assurance, and false elevation. The verse employs reflexive causative verbs and embeds … Continue reading

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Temporal Clauses and Narrative Framing in Numbers 26:1

Introduction to Numbers 26:1: Marking Time After Crisis This verse opens the chapter detailing the second wilderness census. It sets the context with a temporal clause and then presents a divine speech formula addressed to both Moshe and Eleʿazar. The … Continue reading

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Negative Imperatives and Prohibitions in Leviticus 26:1

Introduction to Leviticus 26:1: Syntax of Covenant Prohibitions Leviticus 26:1 opens the chapter of blessings and curses with a firm reminder of Israel’s exclusive devotion to YHWH. The verse is structured as a series of prohibitions using negative imperatives, paired … Continue reading

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Sequential Perfects and Future Conditionals in Deuteronomy 26:1

Introduction to Deuteronomy 26:1: Legal Conditional Syntax and Sequential Events This verse marks the beginning of a legal ritual that is to be performed upon entering the land of YHWH. The grammar is especially rich with perfect verbs used to … Continue reading

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Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Phonology

Biblical Hebrew, the language of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), presents a rich and complex phonological system that evolved significantly over time. Its phonology—concerned with the sound system of the language—offers essential insights into historical linguistics, comparative Semitics, and the reconstruction … Continue reading

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“Forty Stripes He May Give Him, He Shall Not Add”: Legal Limits and Syntactic Boundaries in Deuteronomy 25:3

Introduction to Deuteronomy 25:3: Justice, Mercy, and the Limits of Punishment Deuteronomy 25:3 addresses the punishment of a guilty person by flogging, setting a maximum number of lashes to prevent public degradation. This law encapsulates the Torah’s unique combination of … Continue reading

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“Rising Early to Speak”: Temporal Expressions and Iterative Syntax in Jeremiah 25:3

Introduction to Jeremiah 25:3: Temporal Markers and the Pattern of Prophetic Persistence Jeremiah 25:3 marks a turning point in the prophet’s retrospective lament. It serves as both historical timestamp and theological accusation. The verse spans a 23-year period in which … Continue reading

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“Good of Understanding and Beautiful in Appearance”: Construct Chains and Characterization in 1 Samuel 25:3

Introduction to 1 Samuel 25:3: Grammar as Narrative Theology 1 Samuel 25:3 introduces two central characters in vivid poetic prose: נָבָל and אֲבִיגָיִל. While this verse appears to simply give names and qualities, it uses construct chains, adjective-noun alignment, and … Continue reading

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“He May Not Take Her Again”: Modal Syntax and Moral Defilement in Deuteronomy 24:4

Introduction to Deuteronomy 24:4: Legal Ethics and the Sanctity of the Land Deuteronomy 24:4 presents one of the Torah’s more intricate marital laws, prohibiting a man from remarrying his former wife after she has married another man and become defiled. … Continue reading

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