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Recent Articles
- Grammar Under the Rod — Causatives, Double Accusatives, and the Syntax of Accusation
- The Hebrew Verb דָּמָה: To Resemble, Be Like, or Imagine
- Prophets to Wind, Words Without Breath: Futility and Punishment in Jeremiah 5:13
- The Hebrew Verb דָּלַק: To Pursue or Burn
- Scattered in Strain — Purpose Infinitives and the Language of Forced Labor
- The Hebrew Verb דָּחָה: To Reject, Push Away, or Repel
- The Grammar of Panic — Verbal Clustering and Narrative Urgency
- The Hebrew Verb דּוּן: To Judge, Plead, or Contend
- The Double Authority Structure: Reported Speech and Negation in Exodus 5:10
- The Hebrew Verb דִּבֵּר: To Speak, Declare, or Command
- The Interrogative with הֲלֹא: Rebuke and Rhetoric in Nehemiah 5:9
- The Hebrew Verb דָּבַק: To Cling, Stick, or Cleave
Categories
The Hebrew Verb אָסַר: To Bind or Imprison
The Hebrew verb אָסַר (root: א-ס-ר) means “to bind,” “to tie,” or “to imprison.” It is found frequently in both narrative and legal sections of the Hebrew Bible. In literal contexts, it refers to physical binding with cords or imprisonment. In figurative contexts, it can refer to restrictions or prohibitions, including vows and obligations.
This verb is primarily used in the Qal binyan for active voice and in the Niphal for passive or reflexive meanings (“to be bound”).
Qal Read more [...]
Exodus 29:3 – Direct Object Marker and Suffix Pronouns
וְנָתַתָּ֤ אֹותָם֙ עַל־סַ֣ל אֶחָ֔ד וְהִקְרַבְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם בַּסָּ֑ל וְאֶ֨ת־הַפָּ֔ר וְאֵ֖ת שְׁנֵ֥י הָאֵילִֽם׃
And you shall place them on one basket, and you shall bring them near in the basket, and the bull and the two rams.
Explanation of Feature
In Exodus 29:3, two related grammatical features are prominent: the use of the direct object marker אֵת (’et) and pronominal suffixes attached to it—specifically Read more [...]
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Job 29:3 – Temporal Clause with Infinitive Construct and Preposition
בְּהִלֹּ֣ו נֵ֭רֹו עֲלֵ֣י רֹאשִׁ֑י לְ֝אֹורֹו אֵ֣לֶךְ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
When his lamp shone upon my head, by his light I walked through darkness.
Explanation of Feature
In Job 29:3, the phrase בְּהִלֹּ֣ו demonstrates a temporal clause using a preposition + infinitive construct + pronominal suffix. This is a common Biblical Hebrew construction to express "when [someone] did something."
The preposition בְּ ("in," "when") is attached to Read more [...]
Jeremiah 29:3 – Construct State and Genitive Relationships
בְּיַד֙ אֶלְעָשָׂ֣ה בֶן־שָׁפָ֔ן וּגְמַרְיָ֖ה בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁלַ֜ח צִדְקִיָּ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֗ה אֶל־נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֛ר מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל בָּבֶ֥לָה לֵאמֹֽר
By the hand of Elʿasah son of Shafan and Gemaryah son of Ḥilqiyyah, whom Tsidqiyyah king of Yehudah sent to Nevukhadnetstsar king of Bavel, to Bavel, saying:
Explanation of Feature
This Read more [...]
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Genesis 29:3 – Waw-Consecutive and Wayyiqtol Verbs in Narrative
וְנֶאֶסְפוּ־שָׁ֣מָּה כָל־הָעֲדָרִ֗ים וְגָלֲל֤וּ אֶת־הָאֶ֨בֶן֙ מֵעַל֙ פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֔ר וְהִשְׁק֖וּ אֶת־הַצֹּ֑אן וְהֵשִׁ֧יבוּ אֶת־הָאֶ֛בֶן עַל־פִּ֥י הַבְּאֵ֖ר לִמְקֹמָֽהּ׃
Explanation of Feature
In Genesis 29:3, we observe a chain of verbs in the wayyiqtol form, each preceded by the waw-consecutive (וְ). This construction is a key feature in Biblical Read more [...]
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Second Person Pronoun Positioning and Parallelism in Blessing Formulas
Introduction to Deuteronomy 28:3
Deuteronomy 28:3 opens the list of blessings promised to Israel for obedience. The verse consists of two parallel clauses, both beginning with בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה. The repetition of the second person pronoun אַתָּה in the same syntactic position draws attention to the formulaic and emphatic structure of the blessing. This lesson focuses on the syntax of second person pronoun placement in Biblical Hebrew, particularly in blessing and curse formulas, Read more [...]
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The Hebrew Verb אָסַף: To Gather or Collect
The verb אָסַף (root: א-ס-ף) means “to gather,” “to collect,” or “to assemble.” It is used frequently in the Hebrew Bible in both literal and figurative contexts: gathering people, collecting objects, or even being “gathered to one’s ancestors” (a euphemism for death).
It is most commonly found in the Qal and Niphal binyanim:
Qal: to gather, to collect, to bring in
Niphal: to be gathered (often used in passive or reflexive senses)
This verb plays a significant Read more [...]
Poetic Word Order and Fronting in Biblical Hebrew
Introduction to Job 28:3
Job 28:3 forms part of a poetic discourse reflecting on human attempts to search out hidden things. What makes this verse grammatically compelling is its poetic word order and the fronting of key words for emphasis. This lesson focuses on how word order variations, especially fronting in poetic texts, function syntactically and stylistically in Biblical Hebrew to highlight abstract and theological concepts.
קֵ֤ץ שָׂ֤ם לַחֹ֗שֶׁךְ וּֽלְכָל־֭תַּכְלִית Read more [...]
Cause and Comparison in Prophetic Narrative: The Syntax of 2 Chronicles 28:3
Introduction to 2 Chronicles 28:3: Imitation of the Nations and Divine Displeasure
This verse documents a horrific act: the burning of children as sacrifices in the Valley of Ben-Hinnom by a king of Judah, mirroring the abominations of the surrounding nations. The grammar of this clause involves the use of a causal verb followed by a comparative structure, specifically the syntax of כְּתוֹעֲבוֹת (“like the abominations of...”) which frames the action in moral and theological comparison. Read more [...]
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The Hebrew Verb אָמַר: To Say, Speak, or Declare
The Hebrew verb אָמַר is one of the most common and essential verbs in the Hebrew Bible, occurring over 5,000 times. It means “to say,” “to speak,” or “to declare,” and is typically used in the Qal binyan. It is used both for divine speech (e.g., “And God said...”) and human speech, making it a core tool for conveying direct discourse and communication.
This verb appears in nearly every genre of biblical literature—narrative, poetry, prophecy, and law. Because of its high Read more [...]