Morphology in Biblical Hebrew: Word Formation & Inflection

Morphology in Biblical Hebrew revolves around a triliteral root system that yields an extensive family of meanings through structured patterns and inflections. Verb stems (binyanim) like Qal, Piel, and Hiphil shape valency and voice, while conjugations express person, gender, number, and aspect. Nouns adapt for gender and number—including dual forms—and shift between absolute and construct states to convey possession. Adjectives reflect noun agreement, participles bridge verbal and adjectival roles, and infinitives serve both syntactic and emphatic functions. Irregularities, such as suppletive plurals and weakened roots, introduce nuance. Altogether, Hebrew morphology encodes sacred meaning through systematic variation and grammatical artistry.

Introduction

Morphology is the study of how words are formed and how they change to express grammatical meaning. In Biblical Hebrew, morphology is highly systematic and root-based, relying on a trilateral root system (usually three consonants) to generate a wide array of related words. Inflectional morphology modifies these words to indicate tense, gender, number, person, and state. This article provides a comprehensive overview of Biblical Hebrew morphology, focusing on how word formation and inflection function within verbs, nouns, adjectives, and other parts of speech.


1. The Trilateral Root System

At the heart of Biblical Hebrew morphology is the root (shoresh, שֹׁרֶשׁ), typically composed of three consonants. This root expresses a core semantic idea, which is then shaped by various patterns (mishqalim) and verb stems (binyanim).

Examples:

  • כ־ת־ב → “to write”
  • מִכְתָּב – “letter”
  • כָּתוּב – “written”
  • כְּתוּבָה – “writing / marriage document”

This pattern-based morphology allows Hebrew to build entire families of meaning from a single root.


2. Verb Morphology

A. Binyanim (Verb Stems)

Biblical Hebrew verbs appear in seven primary binyanim, which alter the voice, valency, or aspect of the root.

Binyan Name Function Example (כ־ת־ב)
Qal Simple active Basic meaning כָּתַב – “he wrote”
Niphʿal Passive/reflexive Passive of Qal נִכְתַּב – “it was written”
Piel Intensive active Emphatic or causative כִּתֵּב – “he inscribed”
Pual Intensive passive Passive of Piel כֻּתַּב – “it was inscribed”
Hiphil Causative active He caused to write הִכְתִּיב – “he dictated”
Hophal Causative passive Passive of Hiphil הֻכְתַּב – “it was dictated”
Hitpael Reflexive/reciprocal He wrote himself הִתְכַּתֵּב – “he corresponded”

B. Conjugations and Inflection

Verbs are conjugated for:

  • Person (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Number (singular, plural)
  • Gender (masculine, feminine)
  • Tense/Aspect (perfect, imperfect, imperative, infinitive, participle)

Example – Perfect Qal of כ־ת־ב:

  • כָּתַבְתִּי – I wrote
  • כָּתַבְתָּ – you (m.s.) wrote
  • כָּתַב – he wrote
  • כָּתְבָה – she wrote

3. Noun Morphology

Nouns in Biblical Hebrew are inflected for:

  • Gender: Masculine or Feminine
  • Number: Singular, Plural, Dual
  • State: Absolute or Construct

A. Pluralization

Singular Plural Translation
מֶלֶךְ מְלָכִים Kings (masculine)
תּוֹרָה תּוֹרוֹת Laws (feminine)

B. Construct State

Used to express possession or close association:

  • בֵּית מֶלֶךְ – “the house of a king”
  • דִּבְרֵי יִרְמְיָהוּ – “the words of Yirmeyahu”

The construct form may alter the vowel pattern of the noun.


4. Pronoun Morphology

A. Independent Pronouns

Used as subjects or for emphasis.

  • אֲנִי – I
  • אַתָּה – you (m.s.)
  • הֵם – they (m.)

B. Pronominal Suffixes

Attached to nouns, prepositions, and verbs.

  • סִפְרִי – “my book”
  • סִפְרוֹ – “his book”
  • סִפְרֵנוּ – “our book”

5. Adjective Morphology

Adjectives agree with nouns in gender, number, and sometimes state.

  • אִישׁ גָּדוֹל – “a great man”
  • אִשָּׁה גְּדוֹלָה – “a great woman”
  • אֲנָשִׁים גְּדוֹלִים – “great men”

Some adjectives have irregular plurals, especially color terms and numerals.


6. Participles and Infinitives

A. Participles

Verbal adjectives that express ongoing action or state.

  • שֹׁמֵר – “guarding” / “keeper”
  • יֹשֵׁב – “dwelling” / “inhabitant”

They can act as nouns or verbs depending on context.

B. Infinitives

Two types:

  • Infinitive Construct: often preceded by prepositions (e.g., לִכְתֹּב – “to write”)
  • Infinitive Absolute: used for emphasis or stylistic variation (e.g., כָּתוֹב כָּתַבְתִּי – “surely I wrote”)

7. Morphological Irregularities

Some nouns and verbs exhibit irregular forms:

  • Suppletive forms: e.g., אִישׁאֲנָשִׁים (“man” → “men”)
  • Geminate roots: roots where the second and third consonants are the same (e.g., ס־ב־ב) may simplify or double letters
  • Weak roots: roots with gutturals or ו/י may collapse vowels or shift forms

The Architecture of Meaning

Biblical Hebrew morphology is a remarkably systematic and flexible system that transforms a simple three-letter root into a richly expressive web of words. Through patterns of formation and rules of inflection, the language conveys person, action, relationship, and nuance. Mastery of morphological principles opens the door to deeper comprehension of the Hebrew Bible, where every prefix, suffix, and vowel change contributes to the unfolding of sacred meaning.

About Biblical Hebrew

Learn Biblical Hebrew Online. Studying Biblical Hebrew online opens a direct window into the sacred texts of the Hebrew Bible, allowing readers to engage with Scripture in its original linguistic and cultural context. By learning the language in which much of the Tanakh was written, students can move beyond translations and discover the nuanced meanings, poetic structures, and theological depth embedded in the Hebrew text. Online learning provides flexible and accessible avenues to build these skills, whether through self-paced modules, guided instruction, or interactive resources. As one grows in proficiency, the richness of biblical narratives, laws, prayers, and prophetic visions comes to life with renewed clarity, making the study of Biblical Hebrew not only an intellectual pursuit but a deeply rewarding spiritual and cultural journey.
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