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Recent Articles
- The Interrogative with הֲלֹא: Rebuke and Rhetoric in Nehemiah 5:9
- The Hebrew Verb דָּבַק: To Cling, Stick, or Cleave
- The Edges of Desire — Imperatives and Spatial Metaphor in Biblical Warning
- The Hebrew Verb דָּאַג: To Worry, Be Anxious, or Concerned
- Poetry of Parallelism: The Enigmatic Syntax of Job 5:7
- The Hebrew Verb גָּשַׁם: To Rain or Cause Rain
- The Guilty Soul: Predicate-Subject Inversion and Verbal Emphasis in Numbers 5:6
- The Hebrew Verb גֵּרֵשׁ: To Drive Out, Expel, or Divorce
- The Demonstrative זֹאת as Subject: Deixis and Emphasis in Ezekiel 5:5
- The Hebrew Verb גָּרַם: To Cause, Bring About, or Result In
- Verbs of Begetting: The Syntax of Sequential Wayyiqtol in Genealogies
- The Hebrew Verb גָּעְגַּע: To Long For, Yearn, or Miss
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The Idiomatic Expression וַתָּ֥שָׁב רוּחֹ֖ו אֵלָ֑יו (“His Spirit Returned to Him”) in 1 Samuel 30:12
Introduction to 1 Samuel 30:12
1 Samuel 30:12 describes an Egyptian servant found in a weakened state by David’s men, who is then revived with food and water. The key phrase וַתָּ֥שָׁב רוּחֹ֖ו אֵלָ֑יו ("his spirit returned to him") is an idiom that expresses recovery from extreme exhaustion, distress, or near-death experiences.
This verse consists of:
The provision of food: פֶ֨לַח דְּבֵלָ֜ה וּשְׁנֵ֤י צִמֻּקִים ("a piece of pressed Read more [...]
Posted in Grammar, Theology
Tagged 1 Samuel, 1 Samuel 30:12
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The Syntax of Complaint and the Theological Significance of Divine Mercy in Jonah 4:2
Introduction to Jonah 4:2
Jonah 4:2 records Jonah’s prayer of frustration, in which he expresses his displeasure with God’s mercy toward Nineveh. This verse contains a structured complaint, using rhetorical questions, causal clauses, and divine attributes to highlight Jonah’s expectations and disappointment. The syntax of this verse follows a standard prophetic lament format, with:
A direct appeal to YHWH (וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל אֶל־יְהוָ֜ה, "And he prayed to YHWH").
Read more [...]
The Prophetic Use of Metaphor and the Jussive and Cohortative Verb Forms in Divine Judgment in Hosea 2:3
Introduction to Hosea 2:3
Hosea 2:3 (in the Hebrew text) is part of a larger prophetic rebuke where YHWH warns Israel of the consequences of her spiritual unfaithfulness. The verse employs vivid metaphors—exposing Israel as a naked woman, a barren wilderness, and a land of thirst—to illustrate the severity of divine judgment.
This passage also contains a series of jussive and cohortative verbs, which express divine intention and the certainty of impending punishment. The progression of verbs Read more [...]
The Hebrew Verbal System: Wayyiqtol Forms in Biblical Narrative
וַתָּבֹ֤וא הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וַתֵּ֖רֶא כִּי־נִבְהַ֣ל מְאֹ֑ד וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו הִנֵּ֨ה שָׁמְעָ֤ה שִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֙ בְּקֹולֶ֔ךָ וָאָשִׂ֤ים נַפְשִׁי֙ בְּכַפִּ֔י וָֽאֶשְׁמַע֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ אֵלָֽי׃
1 Samuel 28:21 provides us with an excellent example of one of the most distinctive Read more [...]
Posted in Grammar
Tagged 1 Samuel 28:21
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The Prophetic Use of the Participle and the Structure of Divine Judgment in Micah 2:3
Introduction to Micah 2:3
Micah 2:3 occurs in a judgment oracle against Israel’s wealthy oppressors. The verse contains a divine pronouncement, using the participle חֹשֵׁב ("planning") to describe YHWH’s active intent to bring disaster upon the unjust. The prophetic formula "כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה" ("Thus says YHWH") introduces a decree of irreversible judgment, while the negation לֹֽא־תָמִ֨ישׁוּ ("you will not remove") emphasizes the inescapable nature of Read more [...]
The Construct Chain in 2 Chronicles 35:3
2 Chronicles 35:3 in Hebrew:
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לַ֠לְוִיִּם המבונים לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל הַקְּדֹושִׁ֣ים לַיהוָ֗ה תְּנ֤וּ אֶת־אֲרֹון־הַקֹּ֨דֶשׁ֙ בַּ֠בַּיִת אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֜ה שְׁלֹמֹ֤ה בֶן־דָּוִיד֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵין־לָכֶ֥ם מַשָּׂ֖א בַּכָּתֵ֑ף עַתָּ֗ה עִבְדוּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם Read more [...]
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The Use of Construct Chains in Job 1:3
Job 1:3 in Hebrew
וַיְהִ֣י מִ֠קְנֵהוּ שִֽׁבְעַ֨ת אַלְפֵי־צֹ֜אן וּשְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת אַלְפֵ֣י גְמַלִּ֗ים וַחֲמֵ֨שׁ מֵאֹ֤ות צֶֽמֶד־בָּקָר֙ וַחֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵאֹ֣ות אֲתֹונֹ֔ות וַעֲבֻדָּ֖ה רַבָּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וַיְהִי֙ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא גָּדֹ֖ול מִכָּל־בְּנֵי־קֶֽדֶם׃
Introduction to the Verse
Job 1:3 describes Job’s great Read more [...]
The Use of Cohortative and Jussive Forms in Genesis 11:3
Genesis 11:3 in Hebrew
וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֗הוּ הָ֚בָה נִלְבְּנָ֣ה לְבֵנִ֔ים וְנִשְׂרְפָ֖ה לִשְׂרֵפָ֑ה וַתְּהִ֨י לָהֶ֤ם הַלְּבֵנָה֙ לְאָ֔בֶן וְהַ֣חֵמָ֔ר הָיָ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם לַחֹֽמֶר׃
Introduction to the Verse
Genesis 11:3 describes the conversation of the people as they prepared to build the Tower of Babel. This verse contains cohortative and jussive Read more [...]
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The Use of the Hiphil Stem in Ecclesiastes 7:7
Ecclesiastes 7:7 in Hebrew
כִּ֥י הָעֹ֖שֶׁק יְהֹולֵ֣ל חָכָ֑ם וִֽיאַבֵּ֥ד אֶת־לֵ֖ב מַתָּנָֽה׃
Introduction to the Verse
Ecclesiastes 7:7 presents a statement about the corrupting influence of oppression and bribery. A key grammatical feature in this verse is the Hiphil verbal stem, which appears in the verbs יְהֹולֵ֣ל (yəhōlēl) and יַאֲבֵּ֥ד (yaʾabbed).
Understanding the Hiphil Stem
1. What is the Hiphil Stem?
- The Read more [...]
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The Use of the Cohortative Verb in Job 31:1
Job 31:1 in Hebrew
בְּ֭רִית כָּרַ֣תִּי לְעֵינָ֑י וּמָ֥ה אֶ֝תְבֹּונֵ֗ן עַל־בְּתוּלָֽה׃
Introduction to the Verse
Job 31:1 contains an example of a cohortative verb, which expresses desire, intention, or resolve. The key verb to examine is אֶתְבֹּונֵן (ʾetbōnēn), which appears in the cohortative form.
Understanding the Cohortative Form
1. Definition of the Cohortative
- The cohortative is a first-person verb form used Read more [...]