יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ ה֣וּא עֹבֵ֣ר לְפָנֶ֗יךָ הֽוּא־יַשְׁמִ֞יד אֶת־הַגֹּויִ֥ם הָאֵ֛לֶּה מִלְּפָנֶ֖יךָ וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֑ם יְהֹושֻׁ֗עַ ה֚וּא עֹבֵ֣ר לְפָנֶ֔יךָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃
YHWH your God—He is the one crossing before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. Yehoshua—he is the one crossing before you, just as YHWH has spoken.
Explanation of Feature
This verse from Deuteronomy 31:3 contains a powerful example of emphatic pronoun usage with participial constructions to highlight divine initiative and assurance.
The repeated use of the independent pronoun הוּא (he) with participles and yiqtol verbs creates emphasis—declaring who is truly responsible for the action. This structure strengthens the theological message: YHWH and Yehoshua will both go before the people, but it is YHWH who guarantees victory.
Examples from Deuteronomy 31:3
| Phrase | Grammatical Feature | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| הוּא עֹבֵר לְפָנֶיךָ | Pronoun + participle | “He is the one going before you” – present continuous action with emphasis on the subject |
| הוּא־יַשְׁמִיד | Pronoun + yiqtol | “He will destroy” – emphasis on YHWH’s personal role in the coming conquest |
| יְהֹושֻׁעַ הוּא עֹבֵר לְפָנֶיךָ | Name + pronoun + participle | “Yehoshua—he is the one going before you” – mirroring the divine action |
Related Grammatical Insight
– Independent pronouns like הוּא are normally omitted in Hebrew since the verb itself conveys person/number/gender. When they appear, they carry emphasis or contrast.
– e.g., הוּא יִשְׁלַח – he will send (and not someone else).
– Participles like עֹבֵר often indicate present continuous actions. Here, they serve to emphasize YHWH’s and Yehoshua’s leadership in real-time.
This verse uses grammar not just to convey information but to reinforce theological confidence in divine and delegated leadership.
