Category Archives: Grammar

Biblical Hebrew Grammar

Grammatical-Theological Analysis of Isaiah 63:7

חַֽסְדֵ֨י יְהוָ֤ה אַזְכִּיר֙ תְּהִלֹּ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה כְּעַ֕ל כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־גְּמָלָ֖נוּ יְהוָ֑ה וְרַב־טוּב֙ לְבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־גְּמָלָ֥ם כְּֽרַחֲמָ֖יו וּכְרֹ֥ב חֲסָדָֽיו׃ 1. Opening with a Construct Chain: חַסְדֵי יְהוָה The verse begins with the construct phrase חַסְדֵי יְהוָה—“the mercies of the LORD.” Grammatically, Read more … Continue reading

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Grammatical-Theological Analysis of Psalm 97:8

שָׁמְעָ֬ה וַתִּשְׂמַ֨ח צִיֹּ֗ון וַ֭תָּגֵלְנָה בְּנֹ֣ות יְהוּדָ֑ה לְמַ֖עַן מִשְׁפָּטֶ֣יךָ יְהוָֽה׃ 1. Verb Forms and Theological Resonance The verse opens with שָׁמְעָ֬ה (“she has heard”), a Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular. The perfect form, often indicating completed action, is striking here. … Continue reading

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Psalm 29:3 – Parallelism and Prepositional Phrases with עַל

קֹ֥ול יְהוָ֗ה עַל־הַ֫מָּ֥יִם אֵֽל־הַכָּבֹ֥וד הִרְעִ֑ים יְ֝הוָ֗ה עַל־מַ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃ The voice of YHWH is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders—YHWH upon many waters. Explanation of Feature This verse from Psalm 29:3 beautifully showcases two literary and grammatical features common … Continue reading

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Exodus 29:3 – Direct Object Marker and Suffix Pronouns

וְנָתַתָּ֤ אֹותָם֙ עַל־סַ֣ל אֶחָ֔ד וְהִקְרַבְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם בַּסָּ֑ל וְאֶ֨ת־הַפָּ֔ר וְאֵ֖ת שְׁנֵ֥י הָאֵילִֽם׃ And you shall place them on one basket, and you shall bring them near in the basket, and the bull and the two rams. Explanation of Feature In Exodus … Continue reading

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Job 29:3 – Temporal Clause with Infinitive Construct and Preposition

בְּהִלֹּ֣ו נֵ֭רֹו עֲלֵ֣י רֹאשִׁ֑י לְ֝אֹורֹו אֵ֣לֶךְ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ When his lamp shone upon my head, by his light I walked through darkness. Explanation of Feature In Job 29:3, the phrase בְּהִלֹּ֣ו demonstrates a temporal clause using a preposition + infinitive construct … Continue reading

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Jeremiah 29:3 – Construct State and Genitive Relationships

בְּיַד֙ אֶלְעָשָׂ֣ה בֶן־שָׁפָ֔ן וּגְמַרְיָ֖ה בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁלַ֜ח צִדְקִיָּ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֗ה אֶל־נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֛ר מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל בָּבֶ֥לָה לֵאמֹֽר By the hand of Elʿasah son of Shafan and Gemaryah son of Ḥilqiyyah, whom Tsidqiyyah king of Yehudah sent to Nevukhadnetstsar king of Bavel, to Bavel, … Continue reading

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Genesis 29:3 – Waw-Consecutive and Wayyiqtol Verbs in Narrative

וְנֶאֶסְפוּ־שָׁ֣מָּה כָל־הָעֲדָרִ֗ים וְגָלֲל֤וּ אֶת־הָאֶ֨בֶן֙ מֵעַל֙ פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֔ר וְהִשְׁק֖וּ אֶת־הַצֹּ֑אן וְהֵשִׁ֧יבוּ אֶת־הָאֶ֛בֶן עַל־פִּ֥י הַבְּאֵ֖ר לִמְקֹמָֽהּ׃ Explanation of Feature In Genesis 29:3, we observe a chain of verbs in the wayyiqtol form, each preceded by the waw-consecutive (וְ). This construction is a … Continue reading

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Second Person Pronoun Positioning and Parallelism in Blessing Formulas

Introduction to Deuteronomy 28:3 Deuteronomy 28:3 opens the list of blessings promised to Israel for obedience. The verse consists of two parallel clauses, both beginning with בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה. The repetition of the second person pronoun אַתָּה in the same syntactic … Continue reading

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Poetic Word Order and Fronting in Biblical Hebrew

Introduction to Job 28:3 Job 28:3 forms part of a poetic discourse reflecting on human attempts to search out hidden things. What makes this verse grammatically compelling is its poetic word order and the fronting of key words for emphasis. … Continue reading

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Cause and Comparison in Prophetic Narrative: The Syntax of 2 Chronicles 28:3

Introduction to 2 Chronicles 28:3: Imitation of the Nations and Divine Displeasure This verse documents a horrific act: the burning of children as sacrifices in the Valley of Ben-Hinnom by a king of Judah, mirroring the abominations of the surrounding … Continue reading

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