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Recent Articles
- “Even in Your Thoughts”: The Subtle Hebrew Wisdom of Ecclesiastes 10:20
- The Silence of Wisdom: Verbal Restraint and Hebrew Syntax in Proverbs 10:19
- Intercession in Action: The Hebrew Flow of Exodus 10:18
- Endless Trials: Exploring the Hebrew of Job 10:17
- “I Have Sinned”: The Grammar of Urgency and Confession in Exodus 10:16
- Order in Motion: Nethanʾel son of Tsuʿar and the March of Issachar
- The Grammar of Vision: Enumerative Syntax and Symbolic Order in Ezekiel 10:14
- The Grammar of Divine Meteorology: Syntax and Pragmatic Force in Jeremiah 10:13
- When the Sun Stood Still: Syntax and Command in Joshua 10:12
- Woven with Wonder: Syntax and Embodied Imagery in Job 10:11
- The Wink and the Wound: Syntax, Parallelism, and Irony in Proverbs 10:10
- The Grammar of Surprise: The Wayyiqtol Chain and Temporal Progression in Joshua 10:9
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Grammatical-Theological Analysis of Psalm 97:8
שָׁמְעָ֬ה וַתִּשְׂמַ֨ח צִיֹּ֗ון וַ֭תָּגֵלְנָה בְּנֹ֣ות יְהוּדָ֑ה לְמַ֖עַן מִשְׁפָּטֶ֣יךָ יְהוָֽה׃
1. Verb Forms and Theological Resonance
The verse opens with שָׁמְעָ֬ה (“she has heard”), a Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular. The perfect form, often indicating completed action, is striking here. Zion’s hearing is not hypothetical or potential—it has already occurred, perhaps alluding to Israel’s historical receptivity to God’s deeds or judgments. The verb conveys a sense of rootedness in past revelation, suggesting that divine justice has not only been proclaimed but received.… Learn Hebrew
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Psalm 29:3 – Parallelism and Prepositional Phrases with עַל
קֹ֥ול יְהוָ֗ה עַל־הַ֫מָּ֥יִם אֵֽל־הַכָּבֹ֥וד הִרְעִ֑ים יְ֝הוָ֗ה עַל־מַ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃
(Psalm 29:3)
The voice of YHWH is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders—YHWH upon many waters.
This verse from Psalm 29:3 beautifully showcases two literary and grammatical features common in Hebrew poetry:
1. Poetic parallelism – where the second line echoes or intensifies the meaning of the first.
2. The use of the preposition עַל (“upon”) in prepositional phrases, which can express location, dominion, or movement across.
Both lines describe YHWH’s dominion over waters, reinforcing divine power in the storm imagery.… Learn Hebrew
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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 Binyan Conjugation of אָסַר
Past (Perfect) Tense
Person
Form
1st person singular
אָסַרְתִּי
2nd person masculine singular
אָסַרְתָּ
2nd person feminine singular
אָסַרְתְּ
3rd person masculine singular
אָסַר
3rd person feminine singular
אָסְרָה
1st person plural
אָסַרְנוּ
2nd person masculine plural
אֲסַרְתֶּם
2nd person feminine plural
אֲסַרְתֶּן
3rd person plural
אָסְרוּ
Present (Participle) Tense
Gender/Number
Form
Masculine singular
אוֹסֵר
Feminine singular
אוֹסֶרֶת
Masculine plural
אוֹסְרִים
Feminine plural
אוֹסְרוֹת
Future (Imperfect) Tense
Person
Form
1st person singular
אֶאֱסֹר
2nd person masculine singular
תֶּאֱסֹר
2nd person feminine singular
תֶּאֱסְרִי
3rd person masculine singular
יֶאֱסֹר
3rd person feminine singular
תֶּאֱסֹר
1st person plural
נֶאֱסֹר
2nd person masculine plural
תֶּאֱסְרוּ
2nd person feminine plural
תֶּאֱסֹרְנָה
3rd person plural
יֶאֱסְרוּ
Imperative Mood
Person
Form
2nd person masculine singular
אֱסֹר
2nd person feminine singular
אִסְרִי
2nd person masculine plural
אִסְרוּ
2nd person feminine plural
אֱסֹרְנָה
Usage in Scripture
The verb אָסַר appears in numerous legal, narrative, and poetic contexts:
Genesis 39:20 – וַיִּקַּח אֲדֹנֵי יוֹסֵף אֹתוֹ וַיִּתְּנֵהוּ אֶל־בֵּית הַסֹּהַר מְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אֲסוּרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲסוּרִים
“So Yosep’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were bound.”… Learn Hebrew
Exodus 29:3 – Direct Object Marker and Suffix Pronouns
וְנָתַתָּ֤ אֹותָם֙ עַל־סַ֣ל אֶחָ֔ד וְהִקְרַבְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם בַּסָּ֑ל וְאֶ֨ת־הַפָּ֔ר וְאֵ֖ת שְׁנֵ֥י הָאֵילִֽם׃
(Exodus 29:3)
And you shall place them on one basket, and you shall bring them near in the basket, and the bull and the two rams.
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 אֹותָם (’otam, “them”).
The particle אֵת is used in Biblical Hebrew to mark a definite direct object. When a pronoun serves as the direct object, it merges with a variant form of אֵת—typically אוֹת (’ot) + suffix.… Learn Hebrew
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Job 29:3 – Temporal Clause with Infinitive Construct and Preposition
בְּהִלֹּ֣ו נֵ֭רֹו עֲלֵ֣י רֹאשִׁ֑י לְ֝אֹורֹו אֵ֣לֶךְ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
(Job 29:3)
When his lamp shone upon my head, by his light I walked through darkness.
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 the infinitive construct of the verb הָלַל (“to shine”)—here in the Hifʿil stem, meaning “to cause to shine.”… Learn Hebrew
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
(Jeremiah 29:3)
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:
This verse from Jeremiah 29:3 features several examples of the construct state (s’mikhut, סמיכות) — a grammatical relationship where two nouns are paired to express possession or close association. In Hebrew, the first noun is placed in a shortened or modified form (called construct state) and is immediately followed by the second noun, which is the possessor.… Learn Hebrew
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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׃
(Genesis 29:3)
And all the flocks would gather there, and they would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and then return the stone upon the mouth of the well to its place.
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 Hebrew narrative and is used to express sequential past actions.… Learn Hebrew
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Second Person Pronoun Positioning and Parallelism in Blessing Formulas
בָּר֥וּךְ אַתָּ֖ה בָּעִ֑יר וּבָר֥וּךְ אַתָּ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃
(Deuteronomy 28:3)
Blessed are you in the city, and blessed are you in the field.
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, and its relationship to Hebrew parallelism.… Learn Hebrew
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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 role in narratives (e.g.,… Learn Hebrew
Poetic Word Order and Fronting in Biblical Hebrew
קֵ֤ץ שָׂ֤ם לַחֹ֗שֶׁךְ וּֽלְכָל־֭תַּכְלִית ה֣וּא חֹוקֵ֑ר אֶ֖בֶן אֹ֣פֶל וְצַלְמָֽוֶת׃
(Job 28:3)
He sets an end to darkness, and to every extremity He searches out—stone of gloom and shadow of death.
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.… Learn Hebrew