Category Archives: Grammar

Biblical Hebrew Grammar

The Simplicity and Subtlety of Hebrew Verbal Morphology

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Biblical Hebrew

The Biblical Hebrew verbal system, though morphologically sparse, is a masterclass in expressive precision. With just two core tense-forms—Perfect and Imperfect—plus a handful of infinitives, participles, and imperatives, Hebrew conveys rich temporal, modal, and aspectual meaning through syntax and context rather than overt grammatical complexity. The Perfect signals completed actions, while the Imperfect captures ongoing or potential ones, often serving modal roles like jussive or cohortative. Gender, number, and person are embedded in verb forms, and narrative flow is shaped by chains like wayyiqtol and weqatal.… Learn Hebrew

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Perfect Aspect and Divine Judgment in Isaiah 13:11: The Grammar of Prophetic Certainty

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Biblical Hebrew

וּפָקַדְתִּ֤י עַל־תֵּבֵל֙ רָעָ֔ה וְעַל־רְשָׁעִ֖ים עֲוֹנָ֑ם וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי֙ גְּאֹ֣ון זֵדִ֔ים וְגַאֲוַ֥ת עָרִיצִ֖ים אַשְׁפִּֽיל׃ (Isaiah 13:11) I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will bring an end to the pride of the arrogant, and I will humble the haughtiness of tyrants. Oracular Certainty in the Context of Global Judgment Isaiah 13 forms part of the so-called “Oracles Against the Nations,” focusing here on Babylon. Verse 11 stands as a divine pronouncement of cosmic justice, where YHWH himself announces judgment on the world and its arrogant rulers.… Learn Hebrew

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“They Were Among the Rebels Against the Light”: Syntax of Moral Rebellion in Job 24:13

Posted on October 24, 2013 by Biblical Hebrew

הֵ֤מָּה הָיוּ֮ בְּֽמֹרְדֵ֫י־אֹ֥ור לֹֽא־הִכִּ֥ירוּ דְרָכָ֑יו וְלֹ֥א יָ֝שְׁב֗וּ בִּנְתִיבֹתָֽיו׃ (Job 24:13) They were among those who rebel against the light; they did not recognize its ways, nor did they remain in its paths. Darkness, Defiance, and the Syntax of Rejection Job 24:13 marks the beginning of a unit within Job’s speech cataloguing moral evildoers who operate in secret, particularly under the cover of darkness. This verse serves as a heading of sorts for a poetic meditation on moral inversion—a world where justice seems delayed and the wicked thrive unseen.… Learn Hebrew

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Repetition, Aspect, and Poetic Judgment in Psalm 96:13

Posted on September 13, 2013 by Biblical Hebrew

לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָ֨ה כִּ֬י בָ֗א כִּ֥י בָא֮ לִשְׁפֹּ֪ט הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק וְ֝עַמִּ֗ים בֶּאֱמוּנָתֹֽו׃ (Psalm 96:13) Before the LORD, for He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth! He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His faithfulness. Eschatological Expectation in Liturgical Poetry Psalm 96 celebrates the kingship of YHWH and His coming judgment over all the earth. The final verse, 96:13, brings the psalm to a climax with a powerful prophetic declaration, repeated for emphasis: The verse features the poetic repetition of כִּי בָא (“for He is coming”) and the use of aspectually significant verb forms that frame the judgment of YHWH as both imminent and certain.… Learn Hebrew

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Relative Clauses and Appositional Expansion in Narrative Description

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Biblical Hebrew

וַיַּ֨עַשׂ לֹ֜ו לִשְׁכָּ֣ה גְדֹולָ֗ה וְשָׁ֣ם הָי֪וּ לְפָנִ֟ים נֹ֠תְנִים אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֨ה הַלְּבֹונָ֜ה וְהַכֵּלִ֗ים וּמַעְשַׂ֤ר הַדָּגָן֙ הַתִּירֹ֣ושׁ וְהַיִּצְהָ֔ר מִצְוַת֙ הַלְוִיִּ֔ם וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִ֖ים וְהַשֹּׁעֲרִ֑ים וּתְרוּמַ֖ת הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃ (Nehemiah 13:5) And he made for himself a large chamber and there formerly they would place the grain offering the frankincense and the vessels and the tithe of the grain the new wine and the oil the commandment of the Levites and the singers and the gatekeepers and the contribution of the priests Introduction to Nehemiah 13:5 This verse narrates how a large chamber was prepared for Eliyashiv, which had previously housed sacred contributions and offerings.… Learn Hebrew

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“Rise, Go to Perath and Hide It There”: The Grammar of Divine Symbolism in Jeremiah 13:4

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Advanced Hebrew Grammar

קַ֧ח אֶת־הָאֵזֹ֛ור אֲשֶׁ֥ר קָנִ֖יתָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־מָתְנֶ֑יךָ וְקוּם֙ לֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וְטָמְנֵ֥הוּ שָׁ֖ם בִּנְקִ֥יק הַסָּֽלַע׃ (Jeremiah 13:4) Take the waistband that you have bought, which is on your loins, and arise, go to Perath, and hide it there in the cleft of the rock. In Yirmeyahu 13:4, the prophet is given a cryptic command: take a linen girdle, wear it, then travel far, to Perath, and hide it in the crevice of a rock. This act is not merely symbolic; it is performative prophecy, where movement, location, and concealment all carry theological weight.… Learn Hebrew

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The Warrior’s Mouth: How a Prophetic Verb Reveals Divine Vengeance as Performance

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Advanced Hebrew Grammar

הִנְנִ֣י אֵלַ֗יִךְ נְאֻם֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות וְהִבְעַרְתִּ֤י בֶֽעָשָׁן֙ רִכְבָּ֔הּ וּכְפִירַ֖יִךְ תֹּ֣אכַל חָ֑רֶב וְהִכְרַתִּי מֵאֶ֨רֶץ֙ טַרְפֵּ֔ךְ וְלֹֽא־יִשָּׁמַ֥ע עֹ֖וד קֹ֥ול מַלְאָכֵֽכֵה׃ (Nahum 2:13) ”Behold, I am against you,” declares YHWH of hosts, “and I will burn her chariot in smoke; and your young lions shall be devoured by the sword; and I will cut off your prey from the land, and the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard.” In the fiery oracles of prophecy, language does not merely describe events — it enacts them.… Learn Hebrew

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“A Report We Have Heard from the Lord”: The Grammar of Divine Decree in Obadiah 1:4

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Advanced Hebrew Grammar

חֲזֹ֖ון עֹֽבַדְיָ֑ה כֹּֽה־אָמַר֩ אֲדֹנָ֨י יְהוִ֜ה לֶאֱדֹ֗ום שְׁמוּעָ֨ה שָׁמַ֜עְנוּ מֵאֵ֤ת יְהוָה֙ וְצִיר֙ בַּגֹּויִ֣ם שֻׁלָּ֔ח ק֛וּמוּ וְנָק֥וּמָה עָלֶ֖יהָ לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ (Obadiah 1:4) The vision of Obadiah: Thus said my Lord YHWH concerning Edom, “We have heard a report from YHWH, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: ‘Arise, and let us rise up against her for battle.’ In this verse from Obadiah 1:4, we find a prophetic announcement that begins with divine revelation and ends with human mobilization. The prophet speaks on behalf of God, delivering a message not only to Edom but through it — as if the nations themselves are being summoned to war by a decree they did not hear but must obey.… Learn Hebrew

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Calling Witnesses to Injustice: Imperatives, Construct Chains, and Geopolitical Irony in Amos 3:9

Posted on September 3, 2012 by Biblical Hebrew

הַשְׁמִ֨יעוּ֙ עַל־אַרְמְנֹ֣ות בְּאַשְׁדֹּ֔וד וְעַל־אַרְמְנֹ֖ות בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְאִמְר֗וּ הֵאָֽסְפוּ֙ עַל־הָרֵ֣י שֹׁמְרֹ֔ון וּרְא֞וּ מְהוּמֹ֤ת רַבֹּות֙ בְּתֹוכָ֔הּ וַעֲשׁוּקִ֖ים בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ׃ (Amos 3:9) Proclaim over the palaces in Ashdod and over the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say: “Gather yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great tumults within her, and the oppressed in her midst.” Proclamation to Foreign Palaces: הַשְׁמִיעוּ עַל־אַרְמְנֹות בְּאַשְׁדּוֹד הַשְׁמִיעוּ — Hifil imperative 2mp of שׁ־מ־ע, “to cause to hear, proclaim.” This command sets a prophetic tone: “Proclaim!”… Learn Hebrew

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Arrows and Advocacy: Blessing, Fulfillment, and Courtroom Imagery in Psalm 127:5

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Biblical Hebrew

אַשְׁרֵ֤י הַגֶּ֗בֶר אֲשֶׁ֤ר מִלֵּ֥א אֶת־אַשְׁפָּתֹ֗ו מֵהֶ֥ם לֹֽא־יֵבֹ֑שׁוּ כִּֽי־יְדַבְּר֖וּ אֶת־אֹיְבִ֣ים בַּשָּֽׁעַר׃ (Psalm 127:5) Blessed is the man who has filled his quiver with them; they will not be ashamed, for they shall speak with enemies in the gate. Blessed Is the Man: אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר אַשְׁרֵי (“blessed is”) is a construct form of אֶשֶׁר (“happiness, blessedness”), functioning as a declaration of commendation or felicity. הַגֶּבֶר — “the man,” a strong term (as opposed to אָדָם) implying individual strength or valor This common formula appears in wisdom and praise texts, linking moral or familial success with divine approval.… Learn Hebrew

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