Category Archives: Grammar

Biblical Hebrew Grammar

Purification and Imperfective Syntax in Ezekiel 39:14: Grammar in the Service of Eschatology

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Biblical Hebrew

וְאַנְשֵׁ֨י תָמִ֤יד יַבְדִּ֨ילוּ֙ עֹבְרִ֣ים בָּאָ֔רֶץ מְקַבְּרִ֣ים אֶת־הָעֹבְרִ֗ים אֶת־הַנֹּותָרִ֛ים עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ לְטַֽהֲרָ֑הּ מִקְצֵ֥ה שִׁבְעָֽה־חֳדָשִׁ֖ים יַחְקֹֽרוּ׃ (Ezekiel 39:14) And men of constant duty shall separate out, passing through the land, burying those who pass through—those left upon the face of the land—to cleanse it; at the end of seven months they shall search. Ritual Cleanup and Eschatological Renewal Ezekiel 39:14 describes a strange and solemn task given to a group of designated men after the apocalyptic battle involving Gog: they are to search for and bury corpses in order to purify the land.… Learn Hebrew

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The Personification of Jerusalem and the Prophetic Use of Imperative Appeals in Lamentations 1:9

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Biblical Hebrew

Introduction to Lamentations 1:9 Lamentations 1:9 is part of a poetic lament mourning the fall of Jerusalem, portraying the city as a defiled and abandoned woman. The verse uses personification, metaphors of impurity, and imperative appeals to YHWH, reflecting deep sorrow and theological reflection on divine judgment. This verse contains two key literary and grammatical features: 1. Personification of Jerusalem as an impure, forgotten woman (טֻמְאָתָ֣הּ בְּשׁוּלֶ֗יהָ, “Her impurity is in her skirts”). 2. Imperative appeal to YHWH for compassion (רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עָנְיִ֔י, “See, O YHWH, my affliction”).… Learn Hebrew

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Exodus 39:28 – Construct Chains and Adjective Agreement

Posted on August 28, 2014 by Biblical Hebrew

וְאֵת֙ הַמִּצְנֶ֣פֶת שֵׁ֔שׁ וְאֶת־פַּאֲרֵ֥י הַמִּגְבָּעֹ֖ת שֵׁ֑שׁ וְאֶת־מִכְנְסֵ֥י הַבָּ֖ד שֵׁ֥שׁ מָשְׁזָֽר׃ And the turban of fine linen, and the splendid caps of fine linen, and the linen trousers—of twisted fine linen. Explanation of Feature This verse from Exodus 39:28 demonstrates the use of construct state (סמיכות) to indicate possession or close association, and also illustrates adjective agreement in Biblical Hebrew, where adjectives must match their nouns in gender, number, and definiteness. Each noun phrase refers to part of the priestly garments and is linked to the material used—שֵׁשׁ (shesh, fine linen), followed by מָשְׁזָר (mashzar, twisted).… Learn Hebrew

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The Verb That Turns Purity into Time: A Journey Through Ritual Transition

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Biblical Hebrew

וְכִבֶּס֩ הַמִּטַּהֵ֨ר אֶת־בְּגָדָ֜יו וְגִלַּ֣ח אֶת־כָּל־שְׂעָרֹ֗ו וְרָחַ֤ץ בַּמַּ֨יִם֙ וְטָהֵ֔ר וְאַחַ֖ר יָבֹ֣וא אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וְיָשַׁ֛ב מִח֥וּץ לְאָהֳלֹ֖ו שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים׃ In the intricate choreography of ritual purity described in the Torah, language becomes more than a tool for instruction — it is the very mechanism through which metaphysical states are transformed. In this verse from Vayiqra 14:8, we find a striking grammatical phenomenon embedded within the sequence of actions that must be performed by the one who has become pure after contact with impurity. The verbs march forward in perfect coordination — washing, shaving, bathing — but one verb stands apart, not only in form, but in function.… Learn Hebrew

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Comparative Similes and the Imagery of Swiftness in Habakkuk 1:8

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Biblical Hebrew

וְקַלּ֨וּ מִנְּמֵרִ֜ים סוּסָ֗יו וְחַדּוּ֙ מִזְּאֵ֣בֵי עֶ֔רֶב וּפָ֖שׁוּ פָּֽרָשָׁ֑יו וּפָֽרָשָׁיו֙ מֵרָחֹ֣וק יָבֹ֔אוּ יָעֻ֕פוּ כְּנֶ֖שֶׁר חָ֥שׁ לֶאֱכֹֽול׃ (Habakkuk 1:8) Swifter than leopards are his horses and sharper than wolves of evening and his horsemen spread out and his horsemen come from afar they fly like an eagle rushing to eat. Introduction to Habakkuk 1:8 Habakkuk 1:8 describes the unstoppable power and speed of the invading Chaldean army, using comparative similes to evoke fear and devastation. The verse employs three key comparisons: 1. Horses are swifter than leopards (נְמֵרִים) 2.… Learn Hebrew

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Construct Chains in Exodus 2:5

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Biblical Hebrew

וַתֵּ֤רֶד בַּת־פַּרְעֹה֙ לִרְחֹ֣ץ עַל־הַיְאֹ֔ר וְנַעֲרֹתֶ֥יהָ הֹלְכֹ֖ת עַל־יַ֣ד הַיְאֹ֑ר וַתֵּ֤רֶא אֶת־הַתֵּבָה֙ בְּתֹ֣וךְ הַסּ֔וּף וַתִּשְׁלַ֥ח אֶת־אֲמָתָ֖הּ וַתִּקָּחֶֽהָ: (Exodus 2:5) And the daughter of Pharaoh went down to bathe at the river and her maidens were walking along the river and she saw the ark in the midst of the reeds and she sent her maidservant and she took it. Introduction to Exodus 2:5 Exodus 2:5 describes a pivotal moment in the early life of Moshe. Pharaoh’s daughter comes to bathe in the Nile and finds the infant Moshe in the reeds.… Learn Hebrew

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The Tribal Inheritance of Joseph’s Sons: Construct Chains in Joshua 14:4

Posted on July 10, 2014 by Biblical Hebrew

כִּֽי־הָי֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יֹוסֵ֛ף שְׁנֵ֥י מַטֹּ֖ות מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה וְאֶפְרָ֑יִם וְלֹֽא־נָתְנוּ֩ חֵ֨לֶק לַלְוִיִּ֜ם בָּאָ֗רֶץ כִּ֤י אִם־עָרִים֙ לָשֶׁ֔בֶת וּמִ֨גְרְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם לְמִקְנֵיהֶ֖ם וּלְקִנְיָנָֽם׃ (Joshua 14:4) For the sons of Joseph were two tribes Manasseh and Ephraim and they did not give a portion to the Levites in the land but cities to dwell in and their pasturelands for their livestock and for their possessions. Introduction to Joshua 14:4 Joshua 14:4 is part of the allotment of land among the Israelite tribes, specifically highlighting the inheritance of the descendants of יֹוסֵף (Yosef).… Learn Hebrew

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The Prohibition of Remarrying a Divorced Wife: Syntax and Verb Forms in Deuteronomy 24:4

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Biblical Hebrew

לֹא־יוּכַ֣ל בַּעְלָ֣הּ הָרִאשֹׁ֣ון אֲשֶֽׁר־֠שִׁלְּחָהּ לָשׁ֨וּב לְקַחְתָּ֜הּ לִהְיֹ֧ות לֹ֣ו לְאִשָּׁ֗ה אַחֲרֵי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֻטַּמָּ֔אָה כִּֽי־תֹועֵבָ֥ה הִ֖וא לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹ֤א תַחֲטִיא֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַחֲלָֽה׃ (Deuteronomy 24:4) Her first husband who sent her away is not able to return to take her to be for him a wife after she has been defiled for it is an abomination before YHWH and you shall not cause the land to sin which Yahweh your God is giving to you as an inheritance. Introduction to Deuteronomy 24:4 Deuteronomy 24:4 is part of a legal passage dealing with divorce and remarriage within Israelite society.… Learn Hebrew

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The Use of the Verb שָׂנֵא in Deuteronomy 24:3

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Biblical Hebrew

וּשְׂנֵאָהּ֮ הָאִ֣ישׁ הָאַחֲרֹון֒ וְכָ֨תַב לָ֜הּ סֵ֤פֶר כְּרִיתֻת֙ וְנָתַ֣ן בְּיָדָ֔הּ וְשִׁלְּחָ֖הּ מִבֵּיתֹ֑ו אֹ֣ו כִ֤י יָמוּת֙ הָאִ֣ישׁ הָאַחֲרֹ֔ון אֲשֶׁר־לְקָחָ֥הּ לֹ֖ו לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ (Deuteronomy 24:3) And the latter man hates her and writes for her a scroll of cutting off and puts it in her hand and sends her away from his house or if the latter man dies who took her to himself for a wife. Introduction to Deuteronomy 24:3 Deuteronomy 24:3 is part of a legal passage addressing the conditions under which a divorced woman may or may not remarry.… Learn Hebrew

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The Use of the Hiphil Imperative in Genesis 1:11

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Biblical Hebrew

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים תַּֽדְשֵׁ֤א הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ דֶּ֔שֶׁא עֵ֚שֶׂב מַזְרִ֣יעַ זֶ֔רַע עֵ֣ץ פְּרִ֞י עֹ֤שֶׂה פְּרִי֙ לְמִינֹ֔ו אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעֹו־בֹ֖ו עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃ (Genesis 1:11) And God said let the earth sprout vegetation herb yielding seed fruit tree making fruit according to its kind whose seed is in it upon the earth and it was so. Introduction to Genesis 1:11 Genesis 1:11 records part of the creation narrative, where God commands the earth to bring forth vegetation. The key verb in this verse, תַּֽדְשֵׁ֤א (tadshēʾ), is a Hiphil imperative, an important grammatical construction in Biblical Hebrew.… Learn Hebrew

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