Flashes of Glory: Learning Hebrew Poetry and Imagery in Deuteronomy 33:2

וַיֹּאמַ֗ר יְהוָ֞ה מִסִּינַ֥י בָּא֙ וְזָרַ֤ח מִשֵּׂעִיר֙ לָ֔מֹו הֹופִ֨יעַ֙ מֵהַ֣ר פָּארָ֔ן וְאָתָ֖ה מֵרִבְבֹ֣ת קֹ֑דֶשׁ מִֽימִינֹ֕ו אֵשְׁדָּת לָֽמֹו׃ (Deuteronomy 33:2) And he said, “YHWH came from Sinai, and dawned from Seʿir upon them; he shone forth from Mount Paran, and came from among myriads of holiness—at his right hand was a fiery law for them.” This majestic verse paints a vision of YHWH’s appearance to His people in poetic form. It’s filled with dynamic verbs, place names, and elevated Hebrew style. Let’s walk through the grammar, structure, and poetic force of this verse to discover how Hebrew communicates divine majesty.… Learn Hebrew
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When the Spirit Spills: Verbal Prophecy and Vision Grammar in Joel 3:1 (Targum Jonathan)

וִיהֵי בָּתַר כֵּן אֶשְׁפּוֹךְ יַת רוּחַ קוּדְשִׁי עַל כָּל בִּסְרָא וְיִתְנַבּוּן בְּנֵיכוֹן וּבְנָתֵיכוֹן סָבֵיכוֹן חֶלְמִין יַחְלְמוּן עוּלֵמֵיכוֹן חֶזְוָנִין יֶחֱזוּן: (Joel 3:1 in Targum Jonathan) And it shall be afterward, I will pour out My Holy Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your elders shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. Dramatic Monologue: The Spirit Speaks In this prophetic promise, Targum Jonathan renders the descent of the Spirit in grammatically rich forms: Peʿal and Hitpaʿal futures, direct object markers, and possessive chains express divine intention, human transformation, and generational reach.… Learn Hebrew
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“Rise, Go to Perath and Hide It There”: The Grammar of Divine Symbolism in Jeremiah 13:4

קַ֧ח אֶת־הָאֵזֹ֛ור אֲשֶׁ֥ר קָנִ֖יתָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־מָתְנֶ֑יךָ וְקוּם֙ לֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וְטָמְנֵ֥הוּ שָׁ֖ם בִּנְקִ֥יק הַסָּֽלַע׃ (Jeremiah 13:4) Take the waistband that you have bought, which is on your loins, and arise, go to Perath, and hide it there in the cleft of the rock. In Yirmeyahu 13:4, the prophet is given a cryptic command: take a linen girdle, wear it, then travel far, to Perath, and hide it in the crevice of a rock. This act is not merely symbolic; it is performative prophecy, where movement, location, and concealment all carry theological weight.… Learn Hebrew
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“Then YHWH Was Jealous for His Land”: A Hebrew Glimpse of Mercy and Passion

וַיְקַנֵּ֥א יְהוָ֖ה לְאַרְצֹ֑ו וַיַּחְמֹ֖ל עַל־עַמֹּֽו׃ (Joel 2:18) Then YHWH was jealous for His land and had compassion on His people. Word-by-Word Explanation וַיְקַנֵּא – “Then He was jealous” Verb, 3rd person masculine singular, vav-consecutive of קָנָא (“to be jealous,” “to be zealous”). The וַ prefix introduces narrative past: “Then He was jealous” or “Then He became zealous.” In this context, it expresses passionate concern or protective love. יְהוָה – “YHWH” Proper noun. The personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible.… Learn Hebrew
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The Warrior’s Mouth: How a Prophetic Verb Reveals Divine Vengeance as Performance

הִנְנִ֣י אֵלַ֗יִךְ נְאֻם֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות וְהִבְעַרְתִּ֤י בֶֽעָשָׁן֙ רִכְבָּ֔הּ וּכְפִירַ֖יִךְ תֹּ֣אכַל חָ֑רֶב וְהִכְרַתִּי מֵאֶ֨רֶץ֙ טַרְפֵּ֔ךְ וְלֹֽא־יִשָּׁמַ֥ע עֹ֖וד קֹ֥ול מַלְאָכֵֽכֵה׃ (Nahum 2:13) ”Behold, I am against you,” declares YHWH of hosts, “and I will burn her chariot in smoke; and your young lions shall be devoured by the sword; and I will cut off your prey from the land, and the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard.” In the fiery oracles of prophecy, language does not merely describe events — it enacts them.… Learn Hebrew
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Hebrew Words You Should Know

List of Hebrew words you need to know in order to read the Hebrew Bible and Modern Hebrew. גַּם – also מיִ – who מַה, מָה, מֱה – what אֵיפֹה – where מָתַי – when מַדּוּעַ – why אֵיזֶה – which (m.s.) אֵיזוֹ – which (f.s.) ?אֶת מִי – whom? הַאִם – an interrogative particle חושֵׁב – thinks יוֹדֵעַ – knows כִּי – because אֲבָל – but אִם – if אִם כֵּן – if so כָּל – all; every; any שוּם – any (with negative) …בְּ – in, with …בַּ – in the; with the בַּמֶּה – with what פֹּה – here כֵּן – yes, so לֹא – no, not וְ – and אוֹ – or אוֹמֵר – says שׁוֹאֵל – asks עוֹמֵד – stands; stands up יוֹשֵׁב – sits; sits down הוֹלֵךְ – walks; goes מִן – from אֶל – to עַל – on, about עַל מַה – on what; about what עַד – until אָז – then כַּאֲשֶׁר – when אַחֲרֵי , אַחַר – after אַחֲרֵי־כֵן – afterwards לִפְנֵי – before; in front of אוֹהֵב – loves; likes לוֹמֵד – learns; studies קוֹרֵא – read; calls שׁוֹמֵעַ – hears; listens רוֹאֶה – sees עוֹנֶה – answers לוֹקֵחַ – takes עוֹבֵד – works עֲבוֹדָה – work (noun) פּוֹתֵחַ – opens פִּתְאֹם – suddenly לְאָן – whereto תָּמִיד – always הַרְבֵּה – many; much; a lot מְאֹד – very, very much זֶה – this (m.s.)… Learn Hebrew
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“And the Rest of the Acts of Yoshiyahu”: Exploring a Biblical Summary Formula

וְיֶ֛תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י יֹאשִׁיָּ֖הוּ וַחֲסָדָ֑יו כַּכָּת֖וּב בְּתֹורַ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃ (2 Chronicles 35:26) And the rest of the acts of Yoshiyahu and his deeds of kindness, they are written in the Torah of YHWH. Word-by-Word Explanation וְיֶתֶר – “and the rest”Noun. From the root י־ת־ר, meaning “what remains,” “surplus,” or “rest.” Often used in historical books to introduce material not covered in detail. דִּבְרֵי – “the words of” or “the acts of”Construct noun plural of דָּבָר (“word,” “matter,” “event”). Here, idiomatically: “the acts/deeds of.”… Learn Hebrew
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“Then Bildad the Shuchite Answered and Said”: A Hebrew Formula for Dialogue

וַ֭יַּעַן בִּלְדַּ֥ד הַשֻּׁחִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (Job 18:1) Then Bildad the Shuchite answered and said: Word-by-Word Explanation וַיַּעַן – “Then he answered”Verb, 3rd person masculine singular in the vav-consecutive form from עָנָה, “to answer.” This form is used often in narrative to introduce someone’s reply in a conversation. It sets up direct speech. בִּלְדַּד – “Bildad”Proper noun. One of Job’s three companions. This marks the beginning of his second speech in the book of Job. הַשֻּׁחִי – “the Shuchite”Gentilic adjective. Indicates descent or geographic origin—likely from a place or clan called Shuach.… Learn Hebrew
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“A Report We Have Heard from the Lord”: The Grammar of Divine Decree in Obadiah 1:4

חֲזֹ֖ון עֹֽבַדְיָ֑ה כֹּֽה־אָמַר֩ אֲדֹנָ֨י יְהוִ֜ה לֶאֱדֹ֗ום שְׁמוּעָ֨ה שָׁמַ֜עְנוּ מֵאֵ֤ת יְהוָה֙ וְצִיר֙ בַּגֹּויִ֣ם שֻׁלָּ֔ח ק֛וּמוּ וְנָק֥וּמָה עָלֶ֖יהָ לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ (Obadiah 1:4) The vision of Obadiah: Thus said my Lord YHWH concerning Edom, “We have heard a report from YHWH, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: ‘Arise, and let us rise up against her for battle.’ In this verse from Obadiah 1:4, we find a prophetic announcement that begins with divine revelation and ends with human mobilization. The prophet speaks on behalf of God, delivering a message not only to Edom but through it — as if the nations themselves are being summoned to war by a decree they did not hear but must obey.… Learn Hebrew
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Calling Witnesses to Injustice: Imperatives, Construct Chains, and Geopolitical Irony in Amos 3:9

הַשְׁמִ֨יעוּ֙ עַל־אַרְמְנֹ֣ות בְּאַשְׁדֹּ֔וד וְעַל־אַרְמְנֹ֖ות בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְאִמְר֗וּ הֵאָֽסְפוּ֙ עַל־הָרֵ֣י שֹׁמְרֹ֔ון וּרְא֞וּ מְהוּמֹ֤ת רַבֹּות֙ בְּתֹוכָ֔הּ וַעֲשׁוּקִ֖ים בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ׃ (Amos 3:9) Proclaim over the palaces in Ashdod and over the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say: “Gather yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see the great tumults within her, and the oppressed in her midst.” Proclamation to Foreign Palaces: הַשְׁמִיעוּ עַל־אַרְמְנֹות בְּאַשְׁדּוֹד הַשְׁמִיעוּ — Hifil imperative 2mp of שׁ־מ־ע, “to cause to hear, proclaim.” This command sets a prophetic tone: “Proclaim!”… Learn Hebrew
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