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Recent Articles
- Woven with Wonder: Syntax and Embodied Imagery in Job 10:11
- The Wink and the Wound: Syntax, Parallelism, and Irony in Proverbs 10:10
- The Grammar of Surprise: The Wayyiqtol Chain and Temporal Progression in Joshua 10:9
- The Birth of Power: The Grammar of Beginning and Becoming in Genesis 10:8
- Genealogical Syntax and the Grammar of Nations in Genesis 10:7
- Do Not Mourn as Others Do: Restraint and Reverence in the Aftermath of Fire
- The Blast and the Camp: Exploring Hebrew Commands and Movement in Numbers 10:5
- If You Refuse: The Threat of the Locusts in Translation
- Trumpet Blasts and Assembly Syntax in Numbers 10:3
- Right and Left: A Beginner’s Guide to Hebrew Word Order in Ecclesiastes 10:2
- A Call to Listen: A Beginner’s Guide to Hebrew Grammar in Jeremiah 10:1
- “Even If I Wash with Snow”: Job’s Cry of Purity and Futility in Hebrew
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Category Archives: Grammar
The Function and Semantics of the Hitpa‘el Stem in Ezra 10:1
וּכְהִתְפַּלֵּ֤ל עֶזְרָא֙ וּכְ֨הִתְוַדֹּתֹ֔ו בֹּכֶה֙ וּמִתְנַפֵּ֔ל לִפְנֵ֖י בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים נִקְבְּצוּ֩ אֵלָ֨יו מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֜ל קָהָ֣ל רַב־מְאֹ֗ד אֲנָשִׁ֤ים וְנָשִׁים֙ וִֽילָדִ֔ים כִּֽי־בָכ֥וּ הָעָ֖ם הַרְבֵּה־בֶֽכֶה׃
(Ezra 10:1)
And as Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and falling before the house of God, a very great assembly of Israel—men, women, and children—gathered to him, for the people wept with much weeping.
Ezra 10:1 describes Ezra’s public prayer and confession, which deeply moves the people of Israel, leading them to a communal act of repentance. This verse contains multiple hitpa‘el (התפעל) verbs, a Hebrew verb stem that typically expresses reflexive, reciprocal, or iterative action.… Learn Hebrew
The Custom of Removing the Sandal in Ancient Israelite Legal Transactions
This article will analyze the linguistic structure and function of the verb שָׁלַף (“to remove”), its usage in legal discourse, and the broader implications of the sandal-removal custom in Biblical Hebrew law.
וְזֹאת֩ לְפָנִ֨ים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל עַל־הַגְּאוּלָּ֤ה וְעַל־הַתְּמוּרָה֙ לְקַיֵּ֣ם כָּל־דָּבָ֔ר שָׁלַ֥ף אִ֛ישׁ נַעֲלֹ֖ו וְנָתַ֣ן לְרֵעֵ֑הוּ וְזֹ֥את הַתְּעוּדָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
(Ruth 4:7)
Now this was formerly the custom in Israel concerning redemption and exchange, to confirm every matter: a man would remove his sandal and give it to his neighbor, and this was the attestation in Israel.… Learn Hebrew
The Syntactic and Rhetorical Structure of Geographic Listings in Joshua 9:1
This study will analyze the structure of geographic listings, the function of the temporal clause, and the role of parallelism in listing nations in Biblical narrative.
וַיְהִ֣י כִשְׁמֹ֣עַ כָּֽל־הַמְּלָכִ֡ים אֲשֶׁר֩ בְּעֵ֨בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֜ן בָּהָ֣ר וּבַשְּׁפֵלָ֗ה וּבְכֹל֙ חֹ֚וף הַיָּ֣ם הַגָּדֹ֔ול אֶל־מ֖וּל הַלְּבָנֹ֑ון הַֽחִתִּי֙ וְהָ֣אֱמֹרִ֔י הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ הַפְּרִזִּ֔י הַחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִֽי׃
(Joshua 9:1)
And it came to pass when all the kings who were beyond the Yarden, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the coast of the Great Sea opposite the Levanon—the Ḥitti, and the Emori, the Kenaʿani, the Perizzi, the Ḥivvi, and the Yevusi—heard of it,
Joshua 9:1 introduces a significant narrative development, where multiple kings from different regions react to Israel’s conquests.… Learn Hebrew
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The Semantics and Theological Implications of Divine Remembrance in Genesis 8:1
This study will analyze the meaning of divine remembrance, the syntactic structure of וַיִּזְכֹּ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙, and the role of parallelism in biblical prose.
וַיִּזְכֹּ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־נֹ֔חַ וְאֵ֤ת כָּל־הַֽחַיָּה֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתֹּ֖ו בַּתֵּבָ֑ה וַיַּעֲבֵ֨ר אֱלֹהִים ר֨וּחַ֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיָּשֹׁ֖כּוּ הַמָּֽיִם׃
(Genesis 8:1)
And God remembered Noaḥ, and every living thing, and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided.
Genesis 8:1 marks a turning point in the Flood narrative, emphasizing that God “remembered” Noah and the animals in the ark, leading to the recession of the waters.… Learn Hebrew
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The Morphology and Semantics of Divine Imperatives in Genesis 7:1
Introduction to Genesis 7:1
Genesis 7:1 records a direct divine command to Noah, instructing him to enter the ark with his household before the impending flood. This verse contains imperative and perfect verb forms, structured in a way that highlights divine authority and Noah’s obedience.
The verse consists of:
A direct divine speech formula (וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ לְנֹ֔חַ, “And YHWH said to Noah”).
An imperative verb directing Noah’s action (בֹּֽא־אַתָּ֥ה, “Come, you”).
A reason for the command (כִּֽי־אֹתְךָ֥ רָאִ֛יתִי צַדִּ֥יק, “For I have seen you as righteous”).… Learn Hebrew
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Grammatical-Theological Analysis of Deuteronomy 16:6
כִּ֠י אִֽם־אֶל־הַמָּקֹ֞ום אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ לְשַׁכֵּ֣ן שְׁמֹ֔ו שָׁ֛ם תִּזְבַּ֥ח אֶת־הַפֶּ֖סַח בָּעָ֑רֶב כְּבֹ֣וא הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ מֹועֵ֖ד צֵֽאתְךָ֥ מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
1. Exclusive Worship and Divine Selection: כִּ֠י אִם־אֶל־הַמָּקֹ֞ום אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר
The verse begins with the conditional-adversative structure כִּ֠י אִם—a strong form of exclusivity in Biblical Hebrew. It functions as “but only,” narrowing acceptable worship to a single location.
אֶל־הַמָּקֹום (“to the place”) includes the directional preposition אֶל (“to”) and the definite noun הַמָּקֹום (“the place”), suggesting a specific, divinely appointed site. The participial clause אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַר (“which He will choose”) uses a Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular verb from בָּחַר (“to choose”), indicating a future, sovereign selection by YHWH.… Learn Hebrew
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The Voice That Slips Away: Temporal Disjunction and Emotional Tension in Song of Songs 5:6
פָּתַ֤חְתִּֽי אֲנִי֙ לְדֹודִ֔י וְדֹודִ֖י חָמַ֣ק עָבָ֑ר נַפְשִׁי֙ יָֽצְאָ֣ה בְדַבְּרֹ֔ו בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֨יהוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א מְצָאתִ֔יהוּ קְרָאתִ֖יו וְלֹ֥א עָנָֽנִי׃
Poetry of Absence
In this verse from the Song of Songs, we witness a moment of intimate longing turned to heartbreak. The beloved knocks, she hesitates, opens—and he is gone. This poetic line is not only emotionally vivid but grammatically intricate. Embedded within it lies a profound tension between completed action and emotional immediacy, conveyed through a striking interplay of perfective verbs and existential intensity.… Learn Hebrew
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The Formulaic Structure of Divine Speech Introductions in Numbers 6:1
Introduction to Numbers 6:1
Numbers 6:1 introduces a new section of divine instruction, following the common Torah formula used to introduce commands, laws, and covenantal obligations. This formula, often structured as “And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying”, appears frequently in the Pentateuch and serves as a key literary and grammatical marker.
The verse consists of:
The standard introductory formula (וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה, “And YHWH spoke to Moses”).
The infinitive construct לֵאמֹֽר (“saying“), which introduces direct speech.
This study will analyze the morphology and syntactic function of this formula, its significance in legal and narrative contexts, and its theological implications in divine revelation.… Learn Hebrew
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The Morphology and Semantics of Imperative and Cohortative Verbs in Deuteronomy 5:1
Introduction to Deuteronomy 5:1
Deuteronomy 5:1 introduces Moses’ second speech to the Israelites, preparing them to receive the repetition of the Ten Commandments. This verse contains a series of imperative and cohortative verbs, forming a didactic structure typical of covenantal instruction.
The verse consists of:
A direct address to the nation (וַיִּקְרָ֣א מֹשֶׁה֮ אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֒, “And Moses called to all Israel”).
An imperative command introducing the legal discourse (שְׁמַ֤ע יִשְׂרָאֵל֙, “Hear, O Israel”).
A sequence of cohortative and imperative verbs emphasizing obedience (וּלְמַדְתֶּ֣ם, “you shall learn”; וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם, “you shall keep”; לַעֲשֹׂתָֽם, “to do them”).… Learn Hebrew
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Divine Rejection and Syntactic Negation in Lamentations 4:16
פְּנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ חִלְּקָ֔ם לֹ֥א יֹוסִ֖יף לְהַבִּיטָ֑ם פְּנֵ֤י כֹהֲנִים֙ לֹ֣א נָשָׂ֔אוּ זְקֵנִים לֹ֥א חָנָֽנוּ׃
(Lamentations 4:16)
The face of the LORD scattered them; He will no longer regard them. The face of the priests they did not respect; the elders they did not show favor.
Lament and Covenant Judgment in Lamentations 4:16
Lamentations 4:16 is embedded within a poetic dirge recounting the collapse of Jerusalem and the perceived withdrawal of divine favor. The verse illustrates the disintegration of religious and social order, framing this unraveling through stark grammatical structures.… Learn Hebrew
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