וּשְׂנֵאָהּ֮ הָאִ֣ישׁ הָאַחֲרֹון֒ וְכָ֨תַב לָ֜הּ סֵ֤פֶר כְּרִיתֻת֙ וְנָתַ֣ן בְּיָדָ֔הּ וְשִׁלְּחָ֖הּ מִבֵּיתֹ֑ו אֹ֣ו כִ֤י יָמוּת֙ הָאִ֣ישׁ הָאַחֲרֹ֔ון אֲשֶׁר־לְקָחָ֥הּ לֹ֖ו לְאִשָּֽׁה׃
And the latter man hates her and writes for her a certificate of divorce and gives it into her hand and sends her away from his house, or if the latter man dies who took her to him as wife—
Explanation of Feature
This verse from Deuteronomy 24:3 exemplifies two advanced grammatical features in Biblical Hebrew: conditional clauses using אִם or כִּי, and the use of sequential waw (וְ) to link a chain of actions, especially in legal formulations.
The structure here is part of a broader legal conditional sentence (continued from verses 1–4), where a woman who was divorced and remarried may not return to her first husband. The sequence of verbs is embedded within a conditional protasis.
Examples from Deuteronomy 24:3
| Form | Analysis | Function |
|---|---|---|
| וּשְׂנֵאָהּ | וּ– (and) + שָׂנֵא (to hate, Qal) + –הּ (her) | Sequential action: “and he hates her” (the second husband) |
| וְכָתַב לָהּ סֵפֶר כְּרִיתֻת | “and he writes for her a certificate of divorce” | Continues the legal process initiated by hate |
| אֹו כִי יָמוּת | אֹו (or) + כִּי (if) + יָמוּת (he dies) | Alternate conditional clause |
Related Grammatical Insight
Conditional clauses in Biblical Hebrew often begin with:
– אִם – standard “if”
– כִּי – can mean “if” in legal or conditional contexts
– אֹו כִי – “or if,” indicating an alternate condition
Additionally, legal language tends to use a chain of waw-prefixed verbs to structure multi-step procedures. This “sequential waw” carries narrative or procedural flow, but can also be understood within conditional protases, as seen here.
Such chains can appear in:
– Contracts (e.g., Exodus 21–22)
– Blessing/curse lists (e.g., Leviticus 26)
– Laws concerning family and inheritance
Understanding these structures is essential for interpreting biblical law and its syntax with accuracy.
