Biblical Hebrew

Grammatical-Theological Analysis of Isaiah 4:5

Posted on April 5, 2021 by Biblical Hebrew

וּבָרָ֣א יְהוָ֡ה עַל־כָּל־מְכֹ֨ון הַר־צִיֹּ֜ון וְעַל־מִקְרָאֶ֗הָ עָנָ֤ן יֹומָם֙ וְעָשָׁ֔ן וְנֹ֛גַהּ אֵ֥שׁ לֶהָבָ֖ה לָ֑יְלָה כִּ֥י עַל־כָּל־כָּבֹ֖וד חֻפָּֽה׃ 1. Verb Form and Theological Implication: וּבָרָ֣א יְהוָה The verse opens with וּבָרָ֣א (“and [He] will create”), a Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular from the root בָּרָא (“to create”), famously used in Genesis 1:1. Although a perfect form, its use here is prophetic perfect—a completed form used to describe a future event with absolute certainty. The subject is יְהוָה—the covenant God—indicating that the coming act is a divine initiative, echoing creation itself.… Learn Hebrew

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Chains of Crime: Asyndeton, Verb Chains, and Poetic Justice in Hosea 4:2

Posted on April 2, 2021 by Biblical Hebrew

אָלֹ֣ה וְכַחֵ֔שׁ וְרָצֹ֥חַ וְגָנֹ֖ב וְנָאֹ֑ף פָּרָ֕צוּ וְדָמִ֥ים בְּדָמִ֖ים נָגָֽעוּ׃ Contextual Introduction Hosea 4:2 forms part of YHWH’s indictment against Israel for covenantal infidelity. The prophet lists a litany of violations—oath-breaking, deceit, murder, theft, adultery—before declaring a breakdown of social and moral order. The verse exemplifies poetic indictment, using verbal chains, asyndeton, and the stark image of blood touching blood to portray societal collapse. The grammar plays a key role in intensifying the accusation and dramatizing the consequences. Grammatical Focus: Verb Chain Structure, Asyndeton, and Poetic Juxtaposition 1.… Learn Hebrew

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“If You Return, O Yisra’el”: Analyzing תָּשׁוּב in Jeremiah 4:1

Posted on April 1, 2021 by Biblical Hebrew

Introduction to Jeremiah 4:1: The Call to Return and Its Conditional Framework Jeremiah 4:1 opens with a passionate invitation from YHWH to Yisra’el, framed by a double occurrence of the verb תָּשׁוּב—“you return.” This verse is structured around a conditional clause that blends legal, rhetorical, and theological dimensions. The repetition of תָּשׁוּב emphasizes both the possibility and the direction of true repentance. This article examines the grammar, syntax, and theological implications of this key verb in Jeremiah 4:1. אִם־תָּשׁ֨וּב יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל נְאֻם־יְהוָ֛ה אֵלַ֖י תָּשׁ֑וּב וְאִם־תָּסִ֧יר שִׁקּוּצֶ֛יךָ מִפָּנַ֖י וְלֹ֥א תָנֽוּד׃ Grammatical Analysis of תָּשׁוּב The verb תָּשׁוּב comes from the root שׁוּב (š-w-b), meaning “to return” or “to turn back.”… Learn Hebrew

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Grammatical-Theological Analysis of Proverbs 30:3

Posted on March 30, 2021 by Biblical Hebrew

וְלֹֽא־לָמַ֥דְתִּי חָכְמָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת קְדֹשִׁ֣ים אֵדָֽע׃ (Proverbs 30:3) And I have not learned wisdom, and knowledge of the holy ones I will know. 1. Confessional Tone through Verb Forms: לָמַדְתִּי and אֵדָע The first clause begins with וְלֹֽא־לָמַ֥דְתִּי—“And I have not learned.” This is a Qal perfect 1st person singular verb from the root למד (“to learn”). The perfect form expresses a completed action in the past, here negatively. The speaker confesses a lack of formal acquisition of wisdom, suggesting humility or limitation.… Learn Hebrew

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“Would He Return?”: Analyzing הֲיָשׁוּב in Jeremiah 3:1

Posted on March 1, 2021 by Biblical Hebrew

לֵאמֹ֡ר הֵ֣ן יְשַׁלַּ֣ח אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אִשְׁתֹּו֩ וְהָלְכָ֨ה מֵאִתֹּ֜ו וְהָיְתָ֣ה לְאִישׁ־אַחֵ֗ר הֲיָשׁ֤וּב אֵלֶ֨יהָ֙ עֹ֔וד הֲלֹ֛וא חָנֹ֥וף תֶּחֱנַ֖ף הָאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֑יא וְאַ֗תְּ זָנִית֙ רֵעִ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים וְשֹׁ֥וב אֵלַ֖י נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ (Jeremiah 3:1) Saying, “Behold, if a man sends away his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man’s, will he return to her again? Would not that land be greatly defiled? But you have played the whore with many lovers; yet return to me,” declares YHWH. Covenant, Divorce, and the Question of Return Jeremiah 3:1 opens with a rhetorical allusion to Deuteronomic law regarding divorce and remarriage (cf.… Learn Hebrew

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“And the Word of the LORD Came to Me”: Analyzing וַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹר in Jeremiah 2:1

Posted on February 1, 2021 by Biblical Hebrew

וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ (Jeremiah 2:1) And the word of YHWH came to me, saying, The Prophetic Speech Formula Jeremiah 2:1 begins with a classic prophetic formula: וַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹר, “And the word of the LORD came to me, saying.” This formula recurs throughout the prophetic literature and functions not only as a grammatical structure but also as a theological signal—indicating a moment of divine revelation to the prophet. In this article, we explore the grammatical structure, syntactic components, and theological function of this phrase in Jeremiah 2:1.… Learn Hebrew

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From Judgment to Kingship: Verb Sequences and Eschatological Hope in Obadiah 1:21

Posted on January 21, 2021 by Biblical Hebrew

וְעָל֤וּ מֹושִׁעִים֙ בְּהַ֣ר צִיֹּ֔ון לִשְׁפֹּ֖ט אֶת־הַ֣ר עֵשָׂ֑ו וְהָיְתָ֥ה לַיהוָ֖ה הַמְּלוּכָֽה׃ (Obadiah 1:21) And deliverers shall go up on Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau, and the kingdom shall be YHWH’s. Rising of the Deliverers: וְעָלוּ מֹושִׁעִים בְּהַר צִיּוֹן וְעָלוּ (“and they shall ascend”) is a Qal perfect 3mp of ע־ל־ה with וְ as a narrative connector. This may reflect a prophetic perfect, expressing future certainty using perfect form. מֹושִׁעִים — “deliverers” or “saviors,” a masculine plural participle of י־שׁ־ע, meaning those who save or rescue בְּהַר צִיּוֹן — “on Mount Tsiyon (Zion),” location of restoration and divine rule This phrase announces the ascent of liberators — either human agents of divine justice or symbolic messianic figures — to the sacred mountain.… Learn Hebrew

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Prophetic Sightlines: The Syntax of Apposition and Temporal Anchoring

Posted on January 2, 2021 by Biblical Hebrew

חֲזֹון֙ יְשַֽׁעְיָהוּ בֶן־אָמֹ֔וץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָזָ֔ה עַל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וִירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם בִּימֵ֨י עֻזִּיָּ֧הוּ יֹותָ֛ם אָחָ֥ז יְחִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ מַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃ (Isaiah 1:1) The vision of Yeshaʿyahu son of Amots, which he saw concerning Yehudah and Yerushalayim in the days of ʿUziyahu, Yotam, Aḥaz, and Ḥizqiyahu, kings of Yehudah. When and Who in a Vision’s Frame Isaiah 1:1 serves as a superscription—introducing the prophet, the subject of the prophecy, and the historical context. In a single verse, it skillfully employs appositional constructions, relative clauses, and temporal prepositions. The syntax doesn’t merely inform; it frames divine revelation across time, people, and geography.… Learn Hebrew

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The Construct Chain and Noun Phrase Syntax in Jeremiah 1:1

Posted on January 1, 2021 by Biblical Hebrew

This study will analyze the syntactic structure, noun relationships, and grammatical function of these construct phrases. דִּבְרֵ֥י יִרְמְיָהוּ בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֑הוּ מִן־הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּעֲנָתֹ֔ות בְּאֶ֖רֶץ בִּנְיָמִֽן׃ (Jeremiah 1:1) The words of Yirmeyahu son of Ḥilqiyahu, from the priests who were in ʿAnatot in the land of Binyamin. Jeremiah 1:1 introduces the prophetic book by identifying the prophet’s lineage, his priestly background, and his geographic origin. The verse employs construct chains (סְמִיכוּת), a common feature in Biblical Hebrew used to express relationships between nouns.… Learn Hebrew

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He Weighs the Heart: Conditional Clauses, Interrogative Particles, and Poetic Justice

Posted on December 24, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew

כִּֽי־תֹאמַ֗ר הֵן֮ לֹא־יָדַ֪עְנ֫וּ זֶ֥ה הֲֽלֹא־תֹ֘כֵ֤ן לִבֹּ֨ות הֽוּא־יָבִ֗ין וְנֹצֵ֣ר נַ֭פְשְׁךָ ה֣וּא יֵדָ֑ע וְהֵשִׁ֖יב לְאָדָ֣ם כְּפָעֳלֹֽו׃ (Proverbs 24:12) If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not He who weighs hearts understand? And He who guards your soul, does He not know? And He will repay each person according to his deeds. The Excuse that Fails This proverb anticipates a human excuse: “We didn’t know.” But through the sharp tools of conditional syntax, rhetorical questions, and poetic justice, it shatters that defense.… Learn Hebrew

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