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Recent Articles
- Trumpet Blasts and Assembly Syntax in Numbers 10:3
- Right and Left: A Beginner’s Guide to Hebrew Word Order in Ecclesiastes 10:2
- A Call to Listen: A Beginner’s Guide to Hebrew Grammar in Jeremiah 10:1
- “Even If I Wash with Snow”: Job’s Cry of Purity and Futility in Hebrew
- Your People and Your Inheritance: Strength and Arm Between Hebrew and Greek
- Who is Abimelek? Political Defiance in Hebrew Speech
- May God Enlarge Japheth: Syntax, Blessing, and Subordination in Genesis 9:27
- The Plea of the Prophet: Syntax, Intercession, and Covenant Echoes in Deuteronomy 9:26
- The Swift Flight of Life: Syntax and Poetic Motion in Job 9:25
- Fear and Syntax in Giveʿon: Nested Clauses and Theological Strategy in Joshua 9:24
- Wayyiqtol Verbs, Ruach Imagery, and Political Betrayal in Judges 9:23
- Imperatives, Prophetic Syntax, and Stark Imagery in Jeremiah 9:22
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The Hebrew Verb גוּר: To Sojourn, Dwell Temporarily, or Fear
The Hebrew verb גוּר (root: ג-ו-ר) has two main sets of meanings depending on context and binyan:
– In the Qal binyan, it means “to sojourn,” “to reside temporarily,” or “to dwell as an alien.”
– In other usages (especially poetic), it can also mean “to fear” or “to be afraid.”
The primary biblical usage of גוּר involves living temporarily in a land not one’s own—being a foreigner or guest without full citizenship rights. It appears often in narratives about the Patriarchs (like Avraham) and laws concerning the “ger” (resident alien).… Learn Hebrew
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The Ravaged Vineyard: Visionary Perfects and Destruction Syntax in Jeremiah 4:26
רָאִ֕יתִי וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַכַּרְמֶ֖ל הַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְכָל־עָרָ֗יו נִתְּצוּ֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י חֲרֹ֥ון אַפֹּֽו׃
(Jeremiah 4:26)
I saw, and behold, the Karmel was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down before YHWH, before the burning of His anger.
Vision Report: רָאִיתִי וְהִנֵּה
רָאִיתִי (“I saw”) is a Qal perfect 1cs of ר־א־ה (“to see”), indicating a complete visionary act. וְהִנֵּה (“and behold”) introduces the object of the vision, creating dramatic immediacy typical of prophetic revelations.
Desolate Landscape: הַכַּרְמֶל הַמִּדְבָּר
הַכַּרְמֶל (“the fertile land” or “vineyard”) is used here ironically.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb גָּדַר: To Fence, Wall Up, or Enclose
The Hebrew verb גָּדַר (root: ג-ד-ר) means “to wall up,” “to fence,” “to enclose,” or “to build a wall.” It is used literally to refer to constructing walls or enclosures, and metaphorically to describe protection, separation, or exclusion.
In the Hebrew Bible, this verb typically appears in the Qal binyan (simple action), and occasionally in the Pual and Hiphil forms when referring to being walled up or causing others to be fenced in. It plays an important role in both agricultural and prophetic language.… Learn Hebrew
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Blood and Altar: Precision and Ritual Syntax in Leviticus 4:25
וְלָקַ֨ח הַכֹּהֵ֜ן מִדַּ֤ם הַֽחַטָּאת֙ בְּאֶצְבָּעֹ֔ו וְנָתַ֕ן עַל־קַרְנֹ֖ת מִזְבַּ֣ח הָעֹלָ֑ה וְאֶת־דָּמֹ֣ו יִשְׁפֹּ֔ךְ אֶל־יְסֹ֖וד מִזְבַּ֥ח הָעֹלָֽה׃
(Leviticus 4:25)
And the priest shall take from the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of the burnt offering, and the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of the burnt offering.
Sequential Ritual Actions: וְלָקַ֨ח… וְנָתַ֕ן… יִשְׁפֹּ֔ךְ
The verse progresses through a sequence of wayyiqtol verbs:
וְלָקַ֨ח — “and he shall take” (Qal wayyiqtol 3ms from ל־ק־ח)
וְנָתַ֕ן — “and he shall put” (Qal wayyiqtol 3ms from נ־ת־ן)
יִשְׁפֹּ֔ךְ — “he shall pour out” (Qal imperfect 3ms from ש־פ־ך)
This sequence defines the priest’s precise duties in handling the blood of the sin offering, emphasizing ritual order and sacred space.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb גָּדַל: To Grow, Become Great, or Magnify
The Hebrew verb גָּדַל (root: ג-ד-ל) means “to grow,” “to become great,” or “to be magnified.” It conveys both physical growth (as of a child or plant) and abstract greatness (as in power, importance, or honor). Depending on the binyan (verbal stem), it can describe either natural development or intentional exaltation or glorification.
This verb appears in several binyanim:
– Qal: to grow, become great
– Piel: to make great, magnify, glorify
– Hiphil: to cause to grow or raise someone to greatness
Its theological richness is evident when used of God, kings, and prophetic language.… Learn Hebrew
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Hands, Heads, and Holy Places: Ritual Syntax in Leviticus 4:24
וְסָמַ֤ךְ יָדֹו֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַשָּׂעִ֔יר וְשָׁחַ֣ט אֹתֹ֔ו בִּמְקֹ֛ום אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁחַ֥ט אֶת־הָעֹלָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה חַטָּ֖את הֽוּא׃
(Leviticus 4:24)
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat and slaughter it in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before YHWH; it is a sin offering.
Sequential Actions: וְסָמַ֤ךְ… וְשָׁחַ֣ט
The verse opens with two wayyiqtol verbs: וְסָמַ֤ךְ (“and he shall lay”) and וְשָׁחַ֣ט (“and he shall slaughter”), from the roots ס־מ־ך and ש־ח־ט respectively. These forms are Qal wayyiqtol 3ms and represent sequential narrative events — typical in priestly and ritual texts to indicate ordered procedure.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb גָּבַר: To Prevail, Overcome, or Grow Strong
The Hebrew verb גָּבַר (root: ג-ב-ר) means “to prevail,” “to be strong,” “to overcome,” or “to gain the upper hand.” It denotes increasing power or dominance, whether physical, emotional, or circumstantial. It is often used in poetic and narrative contexts to describe the triumph of people, forces, or even natural elements like water or sin.
The noun form גֶּבֶר (man, warrior) comes from the same root, emphasizing strength or manliness. The verb appears primarily in the Qal binyan, with a few appearances in other stems for nuance.… Learn Hebrew
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Craftsmen and Kingship: Participles and Prepositional Structure in 1 Chronicles 4:23
הֵ֚מָּה הַיֹּ֣וצְרִ֔ים וְיֹשְׁבֵ֥י נְטָעִ֖ים וּגְדֵרָ֑ה עִם־הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ בִּמְלַאכְתֹּ֖ו יָ֥שְׁבוּ שָֽׁם׃
(1 Chronicles 4:23)
These were the potters and inhabitants of Netaim and Gedera; they dwelt there with the king in his work.
Subject Pronoun and Identity: הֵ֚מָּה
הֵמָּה (“they”) is a third-person plural independent pronoun, often used to emphasize the subject. Here, it introduces a descriptive summary of a specific group of people, identifying them with vocational and geographical associations.
Participles in Apposition: הַיֹּ֣וצְרִ֔ים וְיֹשְׁבֵ֥י
הַיֹּ֣וצְרִים is a Qal participle masculine plural from the root י־צ־ר (“to form, shape”), meaning “the potters.”… Learn Hebrew
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The Hebrew Verb גָּבַל: To Mix, Knead, or Combine
The Hebrew verb גָּבַל (root: ג-ב-ל) means “to mix,” “to knead,” or “to combine.” It refers most commonly to the physical mixing of substances, especially in preparing food (like kneading dough) or in making building materials (such as mixing clay). It can also carry symbolic or poetic meanings, like the blending of nations or the combining of ideas.
גָּבַל appears primarily in the Qal binyan, but can also occur in other derived stems when emphasizing causative or intensive action. It is not among the most frequently used verbs in the Hebrew Bible, but its usage is vivid and descriptive.… Learn Hebrew
Guarding by Night, Working by Day: Temporal Clauses and Role Syntax in Nehemiah 4:22
גַּ֣ם בָּעֵ֤ת הַהִיא֙ אָמַ֣רְתִּי לָעָ֔ם אִ֣ישׁ וְנַעֲרֹ֔ו יָלִ֖ינוּ בְּתֹ֣וךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְהָֽיוּ־לָ֧נוּ הַלַּ֛יְלָה מִשְׁמָ֖ר וְהַיֹּ֥ום מְלָאכָֽה׃
(Nehemiah 4:22)
Also at that time I said to the people, Let every man and his servant lodge inside Jerusalem, so that by night they may be a guard for us, and by day a labor force.
Temporal Phrase: בָּעֵ֤ת הַהִיא
The phrase בָּעֵ֤ת הַהִיא means “at that time.” It combines the preposition בְּ (“in, at”) with the noun עֵת (“time, occasion”) and the demonstrative adjective הַהִיא (“that”).… Learn Hebrew
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