Biblical Hebrew

The Grammar of Diplomacy: Indirect Speech and Deferential Syntax in Genesis 50:4 (Onkelos)

Posted on November 11, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew

וַעֲבָרוּ יוֹמֵי בְכִיתֵיהּ וּמַלֵּיל יוֹסֵף עִם בֵּית פַּרְעֹה לְמֵימָר אִם כְּעַן אַשְׁכָּחִית רַחֲמִין בְּעֵינֵיכוֹן מַלִּילוּ כְעַן קֳדָם פַּרְעֹה לְמֵימָר: And the days of his weeping passed, and Yosef spoke with the house of Parʿo to say, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, speak now before Parʿo to say…” Syntax Walk-through: From Grief to Petition In this transitional moment, the Targum captures a shift from mourning to political negotiation. Yosef does not go directly to Parʿo but instead uses layered indirect speech and deferential formulas, reflecting both etiquette and hierarchy.… Learn Hebrew

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Divine Hiddenness and Reflexive Syntax in Isaiah 64:6: Grammar of Abandonment

Posted on November 6, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew

וְאֵין־קֹורֵ֣א בְשִׁמְךָ֔ מִתְעֹורֵ֖ר לְהַחֲזִ֣יק בָּ֑ךְ כִּֽי־הִסְתַּ֤רְתָּ פָנֶ֨יךָ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וַתְּמוּגֵ֖נוּ בְּיַד־עֲוֹנֵֽנוּ׃ (Isaiah 64:6) And there is no one who calls on Your name, who rouses himself to take hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us and have melted us away in the hand of our iniquities. Lament, Agency, and Theological Crisis in Exilic Prayer Isaiah 64 is a communal lament expressing deep anguish over Israel’s estrangement from YHWH. Verse 6 (English: v.7) articulates both divine silence and human inability.… Learn Hebrew

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“And You Shall Love”: Analyzing וְאָהַבְתָּ in Deuteronomy 11:1

Posted on November 1, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew

וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣ מִשְׁמַרְתֹּ֗ו וְחֻקֹּתָ֧יו וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֛יו וּמִצְוֹתָ֖יו כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ (Deuteronomy 11:1) “And you shall love YHWH your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always. Love as Covenant Loyalty Deuteronomy 11:1 opens with a profound imperative: וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ – “And you shall love the LORD your God.” This verse sets the tone for the entire chapter by linking covenant obedience with affectionate devotion. The verb אָהַב in this context carries deep theological and relational significance—it is not merely emotional love, but a commitment of loyalty, fidelity, and action.… Learn Hebrew

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Sons Begging, Strength Returned: A Hebrew Walkthrough of Job 20:10

Posted on October 20, 2020 by Hebrew Grammar for Beginners

בָּ֭נָיו יְרַצּ֣וּ דַלִּ֑ים וְ֝יָדָ֗יו תָּשֵׁ֥בְנָה אֹונֹֽו׃ (Job 20:10) His sons will seek favor from the poor, and his hands will return his strength. “Each suffix and verb you unpack is another key to hearing Hebrew’s poetic irony.” Word-by-Word Explanation בָּנָיו — “his sons.” From בֵּן (“son”) + plural + suffix -ָיו (“his”). יְרַצּוּ — “they will seek favor / beg.” Qal imperfect 3mp from רָצָה (“to be pleased, accept”). In this poetic context, it conveys humiliation: “seek favor from” or “beg from.”… Learn Hebrew

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“Call Now—Will Anyone Answer You?”: Imperatives and Irony in Job 5:1

Posted on October 5, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew

קְֽרָא־֭נָא הֲיֵ֣שׁ עֹונֶ֑ךָּ וְאֶל־מִ֖י מִקְּדֹשִׁ֣ים תִּפְנֶֽה׃ (Job 5:1) Call now, is there one who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn? The Irony of Prayer in a Rhetorical Rebuke Job 5:1 comes from Eliphaz’s ongoing monologue where he chides Job with what sounds like spiritual advice but functions as subtle mockery. He challenges Job to “call out” and ask for help, knowing that Job will receive no answer. This verse is a model of sarcastic imperative, in which an action is commanded (imperative form), but with no expectation of a successful result.… Learn Hebrew

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“Carve for Yourself”: Analyzing פְסָל in Deuteronomy 10:1

Posted on October 1, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew

בָּעֵ֨ת הַהִ֜וא אָמַ֧ר יְהוָ֣ה אֵלַ֗י פְּסָל־לְךָ֞ שְׁנֵֽי־לוּחֹ֤ת אֲבָנִים֙ כָּרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים וַעֲלֵ֥ה אֵלַ֖י הָהָ֑רָה וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ לְּךָ֖ אֲרֹ֥ון עֵֽץ׃ (Deuteronomy 10:1) At that time, YHWH said to me, “Carve for yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones, and come up to Me on the mountain, and make for yourself an ark of wood.” Covenant Renewal and Divine Instruction Deuteronomy 10:1 opens a pivotal moment in Israel’s story—after the breaking of the first tablets, YHWH commands Mosheh to ascend the mountain again and receive a renewed copy of the covenant law.… Learn Hebrew

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“My Closest Friends Abhor Me” – The Emotional Weight of Job 19:19

Posted on September 19, 2020 by Hebrew Grammar for Beginners

תִּֽ֭עֲבוּנִי כָּל־מְתֵ֣י סֹודִ֑י וְזֶֽה־֝אָהַ֗בְתִּי נֶהְפְּכוּ־בִֽי׃ (Job 19:19) All the men of my secret counsel abhor me, and those I loved have turned against me. Word-by-Word Explanation תִּֽעֲבוּנִי – “they abhor me”Verb, imperfect form (future-like), from the root ת־ע־ב (“to loathe” or “to abhor”). – תִּֽעֲבוּ = “they will abhor” (3rd person masculine plural, imperfect) – נִי = “me” (1st person singular object suffix) Together: “they abhor me” or “they loathe me.” This expresses deep rejection—Job feels utterly despised. כָּל־ – “all”A common word meaning “every” or “all of.”… Learn Hebrew

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Between Joy and Judgment: The Binyanim That Pull the Soul

Posted on September 11, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew

שְׂמַ֧ח בָּח֣וּר בְּיַלְדוּתֶ֗יךָ וִֽיטִֽיבְךָ֤ לִבְּךָ֙ בִּימֵ֣י בְחוּרֹותֶ֔ךָ וְהַלֵּךְ֙ בְּדַרְכֵ֣י לִבְּךָ֔ וּבְמַרְאֵ֖י עֵינֶ֑יךָ וְדָ֕ע כִּ֧י עַל־כָּל־אֵ֛לֶּה יְבִֽיאֲךָ֥ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃ (Ecclesiastes 11:9) Rejoice young man in your youth and let your heart make you good in the days of your young manhood and walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes but know that for all these the God will bring you to judgment. Tension in the Verbal Tapestry Ecclesiastes 11:9 calls to the young with a paradox: embrace joy, yet remain sober.… Learn Hebrew

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“You Are Crossing Today”: Analyzing עֹבֵר in Deuteronomy 9:1

Posted on September 1, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew

שְׁמַ֣ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אַתָּ֨ה עֹבֵ֤ר הַיֹּום֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן לָבֹא֙ לָרֶ֣שֶׁת גֹּויִ֔ם גְּדֹלִ֥ים וַעֲצֻמִ֖ים מִמֶּ֑ךָּ עָרִ֛ים גְּדֹלֹ֥ת וּבְצֻרֹ֖ת בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ (Deuteronomy 9:1) Hear, Israel. Today you are crossing the Jordan to enter and dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fortified in the heavens. Threshold of Conquest Deuteronomy 9:1 opens with a solemn charge to Israel as they stand poised to cross the Jordan and enter the promised land. The participle עֹבֵר (“you are crossing”) appears in the expression אַתָּ֨ה עֹבֵ֤ר הַיֹּום – “You are crossing today” – conveying not just an action but a moment of theological and national significance.… Learn Hebrew

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Harvesting the Mouth: Parallelism and Metaphor in Proverbs 18:20

Posted on August 18, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew

מִפְּרִ֣י פִי־֭אִישׁ תִּשְׂבַּ֣ע בִּטְנֹ֑ו תְּבוּאַ֖ת שְׂפָתָ֣יו יִשְׂבָּֽע׃ (Proverbs 18:20) From the fruit of a man’s mouth his belly will be satisfied. The yield of his lips he will be satisfied with. Metaphor in Motion: פִּי־אִישׁ and תְּבוּאַת שְׂפָתָיו This proverb is built on a beautifully balanced metaphor: a man’s words are compared to fruit (פְּרִי) and harvest (תְּבוּאָה). The noun פִּי־אִישׁ (“the mouth of a man”) is in construct form with פִּי (“mouth”) linking directly to אִישׁ (“man”) — meaning “the fruit of a man’s mouth.”… Learn Hebrew

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