Biblical Hebrew

Divine Gifts: Tripartite Blessings and Comparative Syntax in 1 Kings 5:9

Posted on May 9, 2023 by Biblical Hebrew

1 Kings 5:9 וַיִּתֵּן֩ אֱלֹהִ֨ים חָכְמָ֧ה לִשְׁלֹמֹ֛ה וּתְבוּנָ֖ה הַרְבֵּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וְרֹ֣חַב לֵ֔ב כַּחֹ֕ול אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיָּֽם׃ Divine Action: וַיִּתֵּן אֱלֹהִים חָכְמָה לִשְׁלֹמֹה וַיִּתֵּן (“and He gave”) is a Qal wayyiqtol 3ms from נ־ת־ן (“to give”), a typical narrative verb form indicating completed divine action. Read more [...]

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A Royal Menu: Quantifiers and Species in 1 Kings 5:3

Posted on May 3, 2023 by Biblical Hebrew

1 Kings 5:3 עֲשָׂרָ֨ה בָקָ֜ר בְּרִאִ֗ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים בָּקָ֛ר רְעִ֖י וּמֵ֣אָה צֹ֑אן לְ֠בַד מֵֽאַיָּ֤ל וּצְבִי֙ וְיַחְמ֔וּר וּבַרְבֻּרִ֖ים אֲבוּסִֽים׃ Numerals and Nouns: עֲשָׂרָ֨ה בָקָ֜ר The phrase עֲשָׂרָ֨ה בָקָ֜ר (“ten fattened oxen”) demonstrates the masculine plural numeral עֲשָׂרָה agreeing in gender with בָקָר (“cattle, Read more [...]

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“For Judgment Is for You”: Vocative Structure and Second-Person Plural Indictment in Hosea 5:1

Posted on May 1, 2023 by Biblical Hebrew

Introduction to Hosea 5:1: A Multi-Level Call to Account Hosea 5:1 opens with a sharp prophetic rebuke structured around three vocatives and a climactic declaration of judgment. The verse strategically builds tension by summoning three key leadership groups—priests, the house of Yisra’el, and the royal house—and declares that the judgment (מִשְׁפָּט) pertains directly to them. The syntax reflects careful rhetoric: imperative verbs, escalating audience focus, and metaphorical accusations Read more [...]

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Grammatical-Theological Analysis of Ruth 4:18

Posted on April 18, 2023 by Biblical Hebrew

וְאֵ֨לֶּה֙ תֹּולְדֹ֣ות פָּ֔רֶץ פֶּ֖רֶץ הֹולִ֥יד אֶת־חֶצְרֹֽון׃ 1. Narrative Formula and Literary Structure: וְאֵלֶּה תֹּולְדֹות The phrase וְאֵלֶּה תֹּולְדֹות (“and these are the generations of...”) is a recurring genealogical formula found throughout the Torah (cf. Genesis 2:4; 5:1; 10:1). It introduces a transition or literary boundary marker, often leading to a genealogy or important narrative shift. תֹּולְדֹות Read more [...]

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“You Have Strengthened Knees That Were Bowing”: Causative Stems and Parallelism in Job 4:4

Posted on April 4, 2023 by Biblical Hebrew

Introduction to Job 4:4: Eliphaz and the Power of Speech Job 4:4 is part of Eliphaz’s opening speech, where he reminds Job of his past influence and moral strength. The verse praises Job for encouraging the weak, using evocative imagery of stumbling and bowed knees. The focus of this study is the poetic structure and the grammatical form תְּאַמֵּֽץ, a Piel stem that adds causative force to the meaning of the verb “to be strong.” This article explores how Hebrew poetry combines verbal Read more [...]

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Ezekiel 43:3 – Repetition with כ and אֲשֶׁר in Comparative Clauses

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Biblical Hebrew

וּכְמַרְאֵ֨ה הַמַּרְאֶ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָאִ֗יתִי כַּמַּרְאֶ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־רָאִ֨יתִי֙ בְּבֹאִי֙ לְשַׁחֵ֣ת אֶת־הָעִ֔יר וּמַרְאֹ֕ות כַּמַּרְאֶ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָאִ֖יתִי אֶל־נְהַר־כְּבָ֑ר וָאֶפֹּ֖ל אֶל־פָּנָֽי׃ And like the appearance of the vision that I saw, like the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city, and the visions were like Read more [...]

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“There Is No Truth, No Mercy, No Knowledge”: The Covenant Lawsuit and the Triple אֵין־ Construction in Hosea 4:1

Posted on April 1, 2023 by Biblical Hebrew

Introduction to Hosea 4:1: A Prophetic Legal Complaint Hosea 4:1 marks the beginning of a formal prophetic rīv—a covenant lawsuit in which YHWH takes legal action against Yisra’el for violating the covenant. This verse is grammatically structured as a declaration of indictment, with the divine voice naming the charges in legal-poetic form. The centerpiece of the verse is the triplet of negative nominal clauses, all beginning with אֵין, stating what is missing from society. These three nouns—אֱמֶת, Read more [...]

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From Afar to Forever: Verb Forms and Covenant Love in Jeremiah 31:3

Posted on March 31, 2023 by Biblical Hebrew

מֵרָחֹ֕וק יְהוָ֖ה נִרְאָ֣ה לִ֑י וְאַהֲבַ֤ת עֹולָם֙ אֲהַבְתִּ֔יךְ עַל־כֵּ֖ן מְשַׁכְתִּ֥יךְ חָֽסֶד׃ Contextual Introduction Jeremiah 31:3 is a centerpiece of hope within the so-called “Book of Consolation” (Jeremiah 30–33), where the prophet records YHWH’s promises of restoration after judgment. In stark contrast to earlier messages of doom, this verse expresses eternal love and covenantal faithfulness. Read more [...]

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Grammatical-Theological Analysis of Ruth 3:18

Posted on March 18, 2023 by Biblical Hebrew

וַתֹּ֨אמֶר֙ שְׁבִ֣י בִתִּ֔י עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּֽדְעִ֔ין אֵ֖יךְ יִפֹּ֣ל דָּבָ֑ר כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יִשְׁקֹט֙ הָאִ֔ישׁ כִּֽי־אִם־כִּלָּ֥ה הַדָּבָ֖ר הַיֹּֽום׃ 1. Narrative Verb and Direct Speech: וַתֹּ֨אמֶר The verse opens with וַתֹּאמֶר (“and she said”), a standard narrative wayyiqtol form from the root אָמַר (“to say”), 3rd person feminine singular. Read more [...]

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The Edict of Cyrus: Royal Proclamation and Volitional Syntax in 2 Chronicles 36:23

Posted on March 6, 2023 by Biblical Hebrew

2 Chronicles 36:23 כֹּה־אָמַ֞ר כֹּ֣ורֶשׁ מֶ֣לֶךְ פָּרַ֗ס כָּל־מַמְלְכֹ֤ות הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ נָ֣תַן לִ֗י יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְהֽוּא־פָקַ֤ד עָלַי֙ לִבְנֹֽות־לֹ֣ו בַ֔יִת בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּֽיהוּדָ֑ה מִֽי־בָכֶ֣ם מִכָּל־עַמֹּ֗ו יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהָ֛יו עִמֹּ֖ו וְיָֽעַל׃ Royal Read more [...]

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