Category Archives: Theology

The Use of the Cohortative and Jussive in Saul’s Final Request in 1 Samuel 31:4

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Biblical Hebrew

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁאוּל֩ לְנֹשֵׂ֨א כֵלָ֜יו שְׁלֹ֥ף חַרְבְּךָ֣ וְדָקְרֵ֣נִי בָ֗הּ פֶּן־֠יָבֹואוּ הָעֲרֵלִ֨ים הָאֵ֤לֶּה וּדְקָרֻ֨נִי֙ וְהִתְעַלְּלוּ־בִ֔י וְלֹ֤א אָבָה֙ נֹשֵׂ֣א כֵלָ֔יו כִּ֥י יָרֵ֖א מְאֹ֑ד וַיִּקַּ֤ח שָׁאוּל֙ אֶת־הַחֶ֔רֶב וַיִּפֹּ֖ל עָלֶֽיהָ׃ (1 Samuel 31:4) And Saul said to his weapon bearer draw your sword and pierce me with it lest these uncircumcised come and pierce me and abuse me but his weapon bearer was not willing for he was very afraid and Saul took the sword and fell upon it. This study will analyze the grammatical function of the cohortative and jussive in Saul’s plea, the syntactic parallelism of the verbs, and the theological implications of his self-inflicted death.… 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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1 Kings 6:1 – Temporal Clauses and Construct State in Date Formulas

Posted on June 1, 2013 by Biblical Hebrew

וַיְהִ֣י בִשְׁמֹונִ֣ים שָׁנָ֣ה וְאַרְבַּ֣ע מֵאֹ֣ות שָׁנָ֡ה לְצֵ֣את בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל מֵאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם֩ בַּשָּׁנָ֨ה הָרְבִיעִ֜ית בְּחֹ֣דֶשׁ זִ֗ו ה֚וּא הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י לִמְלֹ֥ךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּ֥בֶן הַבַּ֖יִת לַיהוָֽה׃ (1 Kings 6:1) And it came to be, in the four hundred and eightieth year after the going out of the sons of Yisra’el from the land of Mitsrayim, in the fourth year in the month Ziv, it is the second month, of the reign of Shelomo over Yisra’el, he built the house for YHWH. Explanation of Feature This verse from 1 Kings 6:1 showcases the use of temporal clauses and construct state in expressing historical and calendrical dating.… Learn Hebrew

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“Send Me!” — Volition, Syntax, and the Prophetic Calling in Isaiah 6:8

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Biblical Hebrew

וָאֶשְׁמַ֞ע אֶת־קֹ֤ול אֲדֹנָי֙ אֹמֵ֔ר אֶת־מִ֥י אֶשְׁלַ֖ח וּמִ֣י יֵֽלֶךְ־לָ֑נוּ וָאֹמַ֖ר הִנְנִ֥י שְׁלָחֵֽנִי׃ (Isaiah 6:8) And I heard the voice of my Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here I am; send me.” Morphology וָאֶשְׁמַ֞ע (vaʾeshmaʿ) – Root: שָׁמַע; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 1cs (consecutive imperfect, first common singular); Translation: “And I heard”; Notes: The wayyiqtol form advances the narrative past action in Biblical Hebrew prose. אֶת־קֹ֤ול (ʾet-qol) – Root: קוֹל; Form: masculine singular construct; Translation: “the voice of”; Notes: Construct chain linking to the following proper name.… Learn Hebrew

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The Use of the Participle and Passive Constructions in Obadiah 1:2

Posted on January 1, 2012 by Biblical Hebrew

הִנֵּ֥ה קָטֹ֛ן נְתַתִּ֖יךָ בַּגֹּויִ֑ם בָּז֥וּי אַתָּ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃ (Obadiah 1:2) Behold, I have made you small among the nations; you are greatly despised. Introduction to Obadiah 1:2 Obadiah 1:2 is part of a divine declaration against Edom, emphasizing its diminished status among the nations. This verse contains notable grammatical features, including the passive participle בָּזוּי (bazui, “despised”), the Qal perfect נְתַתִּיךָ (netattikha, “I have made you”), and the emphatic use of מְאֹד (me’od, “very much”). These linguistic elements reinforce the judgmental tone and theological significance of divine retribution.… Learn Hebrew

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Understanding Textual Variants in the Hebrew Bible: Meaning, Causes, and Evaluation

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Biblical Hebrew

Textual variants in the Hebrew Bible—arising from scribal errors, revisions, or divergent traditions—offer vital insight into the text’s transmission and theological development. By comparing witnesses like the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls, and Septuagint, scholars evaluate variants using external evidence (age, distribution) and internal criteria (difficulty, brevity, style). Case studies like Deuteronomy 32:8 reveal how a single word shift can reflect ancient worldview and theological nuance. Far from undermining Scripture, variants enrich our understanding of its preservation, inviting reverent engagement with its layered history.… Learn Hebrew

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Introduction to Biblical Manuscripts: Witnesses to the Hebrew Scriptures

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Biblical Hebrew

Biblical manuscripts are sacred witnesses to the Hebrew Scriptures—preserved through scribal devotion, theological reverence, and historical transmission. From the Masoretic Text’s precision to the textual diversity of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Samaritan Pentateuch, each tradition offers insight into the development and preservation of God’s Word. Textual criticism, far from undermining faith, reveals the richness and resilience of Scripture across centuries. Studying these manuscripts connects us to the ancient voices who copied, guarded, and cherished the text as divine revelation.… Learn Hebrew

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Biblical Interpretation and Theology in Biblical Hebrew: Uniting Text, Context, and Divine Meaning

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Biblical Hebrew

Biblical interpretation in Hebrew is a sacred synthesis of grammar, context, and theology. Every verb form, construct chain, and lexical nuance carries divine meaning—revealing covenant loyalty, divine identity, and redemptive purpose. From participles that express God’s ongoing roles to verbless clauses that affirm eternal truths, Hebrew grammar becomes a vessel of revelation. Interpreting Scripture faithfully means listening to its inspired structure, where syntax and semantics unite to proclaim YHWH’s character and covenant. In Hebrew, theology is not added to the text—it is embedded in its very form.… Learn Hebrew

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