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Recent Articles
- The Hebrew Verb בּוֹשׁ: To Be Ashamed or Confounded
- Stative Verbs and Royal Proclamation Syntax in Daniel 4:1 (Aramaic)
- Jussive Negation with אַל and the Function of Double Prohibition
- Volitive Forms and Rhetorical Irony in Zephaniah 3:7: A Grammatical Theology of Rejected Correction
- The Hebrew Verb בּוֹא: To Come, Enter, or Arrive
- The Syntax of Legal Hypotheticals and Priestly Responsibility in Leviticus 4:3
- The Semantics and Theology of the Nifʿal Imperfect in Isaiah 4:3
- The Hebrew Verb בָּהַל: To Terrify or Alarm
- Comparative Particles and Temporal Subordination in Qohelet’s Reasoning
- Exodus 4:2 – Interrogative Pronoun and Demonstrative Use of מַה־זֶּה
- Deuteronomy 4:1 – Imperative, Infinitive Purpose, and Participial Construction
- Double Wayyiqtol Narrative Framing in Dialogic Introductions
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The Use of the Hiphil Imperfect in 1 Samuel 27:11
1 Samuel 27:11
וְאִ֨ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֜ה לֹֽא־יְחַיֶּ֣ה דָוִ֗ד לְהָבִ֥יא גַת֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר פֶּן־יַגִּ֥דוּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ לֵאמֹ֑ר כֹּֽה־עָשָׂ֤ה דָוִד֙ וְכֹ֣ה מִשְׁפָּטֹ֔ו כָּל־הַ֨יָּמִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָשַׁ֖ב בִּשְׂדֵ֥ה פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃
Introduction to the Verse
1 Samuel 27:11 contains a Hiphil imperfect verb, which is key to understanding David’s Read more [...]
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Hebrew Tenses
The Nature of Tense in Hebrew Verbs
The designation of the term tense in the context of Hebrew verbs is a misnomer that has long led to misunderstandings regarding the function of the Hebrew verbal system. Unlike Indo-European languages, where tenses primarily indicate temporal distinctions (past, present, future), Hebrew verbs do not inherently express time. Instead, Hebrew verbs convey the state of an action—whether it is completed (perfect) or ongoing (imperfect). This distinction is fundamental Read more [...]
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Clause Structure and Theological Expression in Esther 4:3
Introduction: Contextual and Literary Setting of Esther 4:3
Esther 4:3 captures the moment of national crisis in the Persian diaspora, following Haman’s genocidal decree against the Jews. The verse is positioned within the narrative tension that prompts Esther’s eventual intervention. It reads:
וּבְכָל־מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֗ה מְקֹום֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ וְדָתֹו֙ מַגִּ֔יעַ אֵ֤בֶל גָּדֹול֙ לַיְּהוּדִ֔ים Read more [...]
The Use of the Cohortative and Jussive in Saul’s Final Request in 1 Samuel 31:4
Introduction to 1 Samuel 31:4
1 Samuel 31:4 records the tragic final moments of King Saul, where he commands his armor-bearer to kill him, fearing humiliation at the hands of the Philistines. This verse features the cohortative and jussive verb forms, which express Saul’s urgent request and the armor-bearer’s refusal. The interplay between cohortative (self-motivated volition) and jussive (third-person commands) provides insight into Saul’s desperation and his attempt to maintain control over Read more [...]
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Volitional Modality and Antithetical Parallelism in Psalm 25:3
Introduction to Psalm 25:3: Volition, Shame, and Contrast in Hebrew Poetry
Psalm 25:3 presents a theological contrast between two groups: those who קִוּוּ (“wait” or “hope”) for YHWH, and those who act treacherously. The grammatical structure distinguishes these groups by using volitional imperfect forms (expressing desire or prediction), strong negation, and poetic parallelism. This analysis will explore how Hebrew syntax, verb aspect, and poetic structure express profound theological Read more [...]
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Perfect Aspect and Divine Judgment in Isaiah 13:11: The Grammar of Prophetic Certainty
Introduction: Oracular Certainty in the Context of Global Judgment
Isaiah 13 forms part of the so-called “Oracles Against the Nations,” focusing here on Babylon. Verse 11 stands as a divine pronouncement of cosmic justice, where YHWH himself announces judgment on the world and its arrogant rulers. The verse reads:
וּפָקַדְתִּ֤י עַל־תֵּבֵל֙ רָעָ֔ה וְעַל־רְשָׁעִ֖ים עֲוֹנָ֑ם וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי֙ גְּאֹ֣ון זֵדִ֔ים וְגַאֲוַ֥ת Read more [...]
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Repetition, Aspect, and Poetic Judgment in Psalm 96:13
Introduction: Eschatological Expectation in Liturgical Poetry
Psalm 96 celebrates the kingship of YHWH and His coming judgment over all the earth. The final verse, 96:13, brings the psalm to a climax with a powerful prophetic declaration, repeated for emphasis:
לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָ֨ה כִּ֬י בָ֗א כִּ֥י בָא֮ לִשְׁפֹּ֪ט הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק וְ֝עַמִּ֗ים בֶּאֱמוּנָתֹֽו׃
Before the LORD, Read more [...]
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1 Kings 6:1 – Temporal Clauses and Construct State in Date Formulas
וַיְהִ֣י בִשְׁמֹונִ֣ים שָׁנָ֣ה וְאַרְבַּ֣ע מֵאֹ֣ות שָׁנָ֡ה לְצֵ֣את בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל מֵאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם֩ בַּשָּׁנָ֨ה הָרְבִיעִ֜ית בְּחֹ֣דֶשׁ זִ֗ו ה֚וּא הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י לִמְלֹ֥ךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּ֥בֶן הַבַּ֖יִת לַיהוָֽה׃
And it came to be, in the four hundred and Read more [...]
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Hebrew Words You Should Know
List of Hebrew words you need to know in order to read the Hebrew Bible and Modern Hebrew.
גַּם - also
מיִ - who
מַה, מָה, מֱה - what
אֵיפֹה - where
מָתַי - when
מַדּוּעַ - why
אֵיזֶה - which (m.s.)
אֵיזוֹ - which (f.s.)
?אֶת מִי - whom?
הַאִם - an interrogative particle
חושֵׁב - thinks
יוֹדֵעַ - knows
כִּי - because
אֲבָל - but
אִם - if
אִם כֵּן - if so
כָּל Read more [...]
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Tanakh : Hebrew Bible Project
Tanakh Hebrew Bible Project is a Polyglot Online Bible that contains the Hebrew Bible and its ancient versions in parallel – Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch, Targum Onkelos, Samaritan Targum, Syriac Peshitta, Septuagint, Old Latin, and Latin Vulgate, and also the Greek versions of Aquila of Sinope, Theodotion, and Symmachus the Ebionite.
Tanakh : Hebrew Bible Project aims at producing:
A new critical text of the Hebrew Bible that is as close as possible to the original text.
A new Read more [...]
Posted in Textual Criticism
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