Biblical Hebrew

Introduction to Proverbs 11:1: The Scales of Righteousness Proverbs 11:1 presents a powerful moral and theological declaration about honesty in commerce and divine justice. The phrase מֹאזְנֵי מִרְמָה (moznê mirmāh, "deceitful scales") serves as a metaphor for fraudulent business practices, which are described as an abomination to YHWH. This verse contrasts dishonest dealings with righteous weights, demonstrating that economic ethics are fundamentally linked to divine favor or disapproval. מֹאזְנֵ֣י Read more [...]

Introduction to Proverbs 10:1: Wisdom and Folly in the Household Proverbs 10:1 marks the beginning of a new literary section—the collected sayings of Solomon. This verse presents a stark contrast between wisdom and folly, framed within the parental relationship. The verb יְשַׂמַּח (yəsammaḥ), "he makes glad," plays a central role, revealing the power of a child's actions to shape the emotional world of the family. מִשְׁלֵ֗י שְׁלֹ֫מֹ֥ה פ בֵּ֣ן חָ֭כָם Read more [...]

Introduction to Proverbs 9:1: The Architecture of Wisdom Proverbs 9:1 presents one of the most striking images in biblical poetry—Wisdom, personified as a master architect, building her house with seven pillars. The verb בָּנְתָה (bāntāh), "she has built," is not merely a grammatical structure; it is a theological and poetic blueprint, revealing how divine wisdom constructs the very foundations of knowledge, righteousness, and creation itself. חָ֭כְמֹות בָּנְתָ֣ה בֵיתָ֑הּ Read more [...]

Introduction to Proverbs 7:1 Proverbs 7:1 contains a parental exhortation urging the son to heed wisdom and treasure commandments. The verb שְׁמֹר (shemor) is in the imperative form, a common grammatical structure used in Biblical Hebrew for direct commands or instructions. This analysis will explore the morphology, syntactic function, and semantic implications of שְׁמֹר in this wisdom literature context. בְּ֭נִי שְׁמֹ֣ר אֲמָרָ֑י וּ֝מִצְוֹתַ֗י תִּצְפֹּ֥ן Read more [...]