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Recent Articles
- Fear, Dominion, and Syntax: A Grammar Lesson from Genesis 9:2
- “And Job Answered and Said”: A Hebrew Lesson on Job 9:1
- Syntax of Covenant Obedience: The Altar of Uncut Stones in Joshua 8:31
- Unlock the Secrets of the Tanakh: Why Hebrew Morphology is the Key
- The Poetics of Verbal Repetition in Proverbs 8:30
- Syntax of the Wave Offering: Moses and the Breast Portion in Leviticus 8:29
- Firm Skies and Deep Springs: Grammar in Proverbs 8:28
- Only the Spoil: A Hebrew Lesson on Joshua 8:27
- Binyanim Under Pressure: Exodus 8:26
- When Service Ends: A Hebrew Lesson on Numbers 8:25
- Consecration Through Syntax: The Priestly Ritual in Leviticus 8:24
- “A Three-Day Journey”: The Syntax of Volition and Deixis in Exodus According to Targum Onkelos
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Category Archives: Theology
Translation and Interpretation of Construct Chains in Biblical Hebrew
Construct chains (סְמִיכוּת) in Biblical Hebrew are compact powerhouses of meaning, binding nouns into deeply interwoven semantic and theological units. Unlike English’s prepositional sprawl, Hebrew relies on juxtaposition, often requiring translators to navigate the tension between literal fidelity and idiomatic clarity. From “kingdom of God” to “false prophets,” these constructions encode everything from divine agency to poetic intimacy, demanding precision in definiteness, nuance in cultural idioms, and reverence for theological resonance. Whether deciphering royal decrees or eschatological trumpet blasts, faithfully rendering construct chains means honoring not just the grammar—but the glory—of the text.… Learn Hebrew
Writing and Pronunciation of Each Hebrew Letter
The Hebrew alphabet isn’t just an ancient writing system—it’s a theological and phonetic tapestry woven over millennia. With 22 consonants (and five final forms), each letter carries unique phonological weight, while diacritical marks (niqqudot) introduced by the Masoretes unlock its spoken depth. From the silent glottal Aleph to the guttural ʿAyin, Hebrew letters reflect the full breadth of vocal expression. Begadkephat letters shift with dagesh, traditions like Ashkenazi and Sephardic nuance pronunciation, and vowel signs ensure sacred texts resonate across generations.… Learn Hebrew
The Historical Context of Biblical Hebrew in the Old Testament
Biblical Hebrew unfolds as a living record of Israel’s journey—from its Canaanite roots to exile and liturgical preservation—mirroring the theological and political pulse of its people. Emerging as a distinct dialect within Northwest Semitic traditions, it rose through royal scribes, prophetic poetry, and covenantal law into Classical Biblical Hebrew, later adapting under Babylonian and Persian influence into Late Biblical Hebrew. Though displaced by Aramaic and Greek, Hebrew endured through sacred texts and Mishnaic revival, culminating in the Masoretic tradition. More than a language, it is the embodied grammar of divine-human covenant, shaped by empire and sustained by faith.… Learn Hebrew