In Biblical Hebrew, nouns are grammatically rich and theologically resonant—marked by gender, number, and state. Gender is not merely biological but symbolic, shaping agreement with verbs and adjectives and reflecting covenantal themes. Feminine forms often denote abstract or relational concepts, while masculine forms may carry collective or structural weight. Irregular plurals and construct chains reveal deeper patterns of possession and emphasis. Through gendered grammar, Hebrew encodes meaning, identity, and divine relationship—making every noun a structural and spiritual element in the architecture of Scripture.
The Nature of Hebrew Nouns
In Biblical Hebrew, nouns (שֵׁמוֹת) are foundational elements that name people, objects, places, actions, and abstract concepts. Far from being arbitrary labels, Hebrew nouns are semantically rich and morphologically structured. Each noun carries not only lexical meaning but also grammatical features such as gender, number, and state (absolute or construct). These features are not decorative—they govern agreement with verbs, adjectives, and pronouns and reflect deep patterns of thought embedded in the language.
Gender as a Grammatical and Semantic Category
All Hebrew nouns are either masculine or feminine. This binary gender system governs syntactic agreement, even for inanimate or abstract entities. Grammatical gender in Hebrew is generally—but not always—marked by morphological endings. Importantly, gender in Hebrew is not merely biological but also linguistic and often symbolic.
| Gender | Typical Ending | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | (no suffix or ִים in plural) | מֶלֶךְ / מְלָכִים | king / kings |
| Feminine | ָה / ֶת / ִית or ֹות in plural | מַלְכָּה / מַלְכּוֹת | queen / queens |
Although morphological patterns are helpful, not all nouns follow predictable endings. Some nouns are morphologically feminine but syntactically masculine, or vice versa. These exceptions must be learned individually, often through exposure to usage in Scripture.
Common Feminine Markers
The most recognizable feminine suffix is ־ָה (he with qamats), often appended to masculine or neutral roots:
- תּוֹרָה – instruction, law
- מִלְחָמָה – war
- אִשָּׁה – woman (irregular root)
Other feminine endings include:
- ־ֶת – e.g., בְּרִית (covenant)
- ־ִית – often adjectival or gentilic, e.g., מִצְרִית (Egyptian woman)
Plural forms of feminine nouns usually end in ־וֹת, though some exceptions exist due to ancient dual/plural formations.
Gender Polarity and Irregular Plurals
Biblical Hebrew includes a class of irregular plurals where the expected gender suffix is “reversed.” These are known as gender polarity plurals and occur especially in natural pairs, abstract nouns, and collective terms.
| Noun | Form | Gender | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| אֵם | אִמּוֹת | Feminine | Regular feminine plural |
| אָב | אָבוֹת | Masculine | Feminine-looking plural, but takes masculine agreement |
| חַיִּים | חַיִּים | Masculine | Plural in form, singular in meaning* |
*Some nouns in Hebrew are plural in form but singular in meaning. These are known as abstract plurals or pluralis intensivus. Though morphologically plural, they often take singular verbs and pronouns. Examples include חַיִּים (“life”) and מַיִם (“water”).
Adjectival and Verbal Agreement with Nouns
Adjectives in Biblical Hebrew must agree with their noun in gender, number, and definiteness. Verbs likewise reflect the gender and number of the subject in finite forms, especially in the past and future tenses.
- הַמֶּלֶךְ הַטּוֹב – the good king (masculine singular)
- הַמַלְכָּה הַטּוֹבָה – the good queen (feminine singular)
- וַיֵּלֶךְ הַמֶּלֶךְ – and the king went (masculine verb form)
- וַתֵּלֶךְ הַמַלְכָּה – and the queen went (feminine verb form)
Construct Chains and Gender Interactions
Nouns in construct state often drop gender-indicating suffixes or change their form entirely. The construct modifies the noun’s function, usually indicating possession or relationship.
- בֵּית מֶלֶךְ – a house of a king (construct)
- מַלְכַּת שְׁבָא – queen of Sheba
Construct chains often preserve the gender of the base noun but suppress some of its endings, especially in feminine singular forms ending in ־ָה → ־ַת (e.g., מַלְכָּה → מַלְכַּת).
Abstract and Collective Nouns: Gender Beyond Biology
Many abstract concepts in Biblical Hebrew are feminine by convention, even when they lack clear morphological feminine endings. Examples include:
- חָכְמָה – wisdom
- רַחֲמִים – compassion (plural in form, often treated as masculine)
Collective nouns, such as עָם (people), are grammatically masculine but may refer to mixed-gender groups or abstract social units. Grammatical gender here reflects usage and agreement patterns rather than the biological makeup of the group.
Symbolic and Theological Dimensions of Gender
Biblical Hebrew occasionally leverages grammatical gender for poetic, theological, or symbolic purposes. The nation of Israel is often personified as a feminine entity (e.g., בַּת־צִיּוֹן – daughter of Tsiyon), even though עַם (people) is masculine. Wisdom (חָכְמָה) is also personified as feminine.
This symbolic use of gender invites theological reflection, particularly in prophetic and poetic texts, where the gender of a noun may carry more than grammatical significance—it may evoke relationship, covenant, or divine character.
Gender and Grammar as Sacred Structure
In Biblical Hebrew, nouns are never neutral. Each one bears the imprint of gender, form, and function. Whether masculine or feminine, singular or plural, absolute or construct, nouns structure the sacred grammar of the Hebrew Bible. They shape how reality is named, ordered, and related.
To understand the grammar of gender in Hebrew is to participate in the text’s vision of a patterned, meaningful world—a world where grammar and theology meet in every syllable.
