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Recent Articles
- When Service Ends: A Hebrew Lesson on Numbers 8:25
- Consecration Through Syntax: The Priestly Ritual in Leviticus 8:24
- “A Three-Day Journey”: The Syntax of Volition and Deixis in Exodus According to Targum Onkelos
- Disaster That Flies Down: A Hebrew Lesson on Isaiah 8:22
- Purified and Presented: A Hebrew Lesson on Numbers 8:21
- Like the Nations Before You: A Hebrew Walkthrough of Deuteronomy 8:20
- Voices of the Dead or the Living God? A Hebrew Lesson on Isaiah 8:19
- When the Ground Denies Him: A Hebrew Walkthrough of Job 8:18
- From Dust to Gnats: A Hebrew Lesson in Action
- The Power of Repetition: Exploring the Waw-Consecutive
- Through the Great and Fearsome Wilderness: From Fiery Serpent to Flowing Spring
- “Counsel Is Mine” — Exploring the Voice of Wisdom in Proverbs 8:14
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The Interrogative Particle אָ֚נָה in Song of Songs 6:1
Introduction to Song of Songs 6:1
Song of Songs 6:1 presents a question directed to the beloved woman, asking about the whereabouts of her lover. The interrogative particle אָ֚נָה (ʾānāh) plays a crucial role in shaping the inquiry, as it introduces a directional or locative question rather than a simple “where” question. This analysis will explore its morphology, syntactic role, and semantic nuances within Biblical Hebrew.
אָ֚נָה הָלַ֣ךְ דֹּודֵ֔ךְ הַיָּפָ֖ה בַּנָּשִׁ֑ים אָ֚נָה פָּנָ֣ה דֹודֵ֔ךְ וּנְבַקְשֶׁ֖נּוּ עִמָּֽךְ׃
Analysis of Key Words/Phrases
The interrogative particle אָ֚נָה (ʾānāh) appears twice in the verse:
אָ֚נָה הָלַ֣ךְ דֹּודֵ֔ךְ
אָ֚נָה פָּנָ֣ה דֹּודֵ֔ךְ
Each phrase consists of:
אָ֚נָה (ʾānāh) – “Where (to)?”… Learn Hebrew
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Forsaken Bonds: Syntax of Abandonment and Relational Disintegration in Job 19:14
Introduction: Lament and the Grammar of Isolation
Job 19:14 stands as part of one of the most emotionally intense chapters in the Book of Job. Here, Job catalogs his experience of being forsaken by all social connections—family, friends, and community. The syntax of this verse condenses that desolation into two succinct poetic cola:
חָדְל֥וּ קְרֹובָ֑י וּֽמְיֻדָּעַ֥י שְׁכֵחֽוּנִי׃
My close relatives have ceased, and my acquaintances have forgotten me.
Though brief, this verse leverages parallelism, verb aspect, and lexical resonance to portray the disintegration of Job’s relational world.… Learn Hebrew
Coordinated Spatial Phrases with Prepositional Ellipsis in Priestly Procedures
Introduction to Ezekiel 45:19
Ezekiel 45:19 details a priestly ritual involving the application of blood during purification. The verse features a sequence of coordinated prepositional phrases, most of which begin with אֶל־ (“to/onto”), though one is introduced with עַל־. This variation, along with a possible case of prepositional ellipsis and the interplay of spatial terms, makes this verse a compelling example of how Biblical Hebrew expresses ritual geography. This lesson focuses on the syntax of spatial coordination, prepositional variation, and ellipsis in cultic texts.… Learn Hebrew
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The Cohortative Verb אָשִׁירָה in Isaiah 5:1
Introduction to Isaiah 5:1
Isaiah 5:1 introduces the famous “Song of the Vineyard,” a poetic allegory describing YHWH’s relationship with Israel through the imagery of a vineyard. The opening verb אָשִׁירָה (ʾāšîrāh) is in the cohortative form, a grammatical structure often used to express intention, resolve, or exhortation in Biblical Hebrew. This analysis will explore the morphology, syntactic role, and semantic significance of אָשִׁירָה in its literary and prophetic context.
אָשִׁ֤ירָה נָּא֙ לִֽידִידִ֔י שִׁירַ֥ת דֹּודִ֖י לְכַרְמֹ֑ו כֶּ֛רֶם הָיָ֥ה לִֽידִידִ֖י בְּקֶ֥רֶן בֶּן־שָֽׁמֶן׃
Analysis of Key Words/Phrases
The Cohortative verb אָשִׁירָה (ʾāšîrāh) appears at the beginning of the verse:
אָשִׁ֤ירָה נָּא֙ לִֽידִידִ֔י
This phrase consists of:
אָשִׁירָה (ʾāšîrāh) – “Let me sing” (Cohortative verb).… Learn Hebrew
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Boundaries of the Promised Land: Geographic Chains and Appositional Syntax in Deuteronomy 4:48
Deuteronomy 4:48
מֵעֲרֹעֵ֞ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר עַל־שְׂפַת־נַ֧חַל אַרְנֹ֛ן וְעַד־הַ֥ר שִׂיאֹ֖ן ה֥וּא חֶרְמֹֽון׃
Starting Point: מֵעֲרֹעֵר
מֵעֲרֹעֵר (“from ʿAroʿer”) begins the description of the land’s extent. מִן (“from”) is contracted as מֵ before a guttural letter. עֲרֹעֵר is a known settlement east of the Jordan River, marking the southern starting point of the boundary.
Relative Description: אֲשֶׁר עַל־שְׂפַת־נַחַל אַרְנֹן
אֲשֶׁר (“which”) introduces a relative clause describing עֲרֹעֵר. עַל־שְׂפַת־נַחַל אַרְנֹן (“upon the bank of the Arnon brook”) specifies the location:
עַל — “upon”
שְׂפַת — “edge, bank” (construct of שָׂפָה)
נַחַל — “wadi, stream” (construct relationship: “bank of the wadi”)
אַרְנֹן — the specific wadi/river name
The construct chain packs geographic precision into a compact phrase, vividly situating the starting point.… Learn Hebrew
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The Semantics of the Hiphil Perfect and Divine Election in Psalm 4:4
Introduction: Liturgical Assurance in the Structure of Psalm 4:4
Psalm 4 is a psalm of David that blends supplication with confident trust in divine justice. Verse 4 (Hebrew 4:3) functions as a theological turning point, contrasting the behavior of the wicked with the security of the righteous. The verse reads:
וּדְע֗וּ כִּֽי־הִפְלָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה חָסִ֣יד לֹ֑ו יְהוָ֥ה יִ֝שְׁמַ֗ע בְּקָרְאִ֥י אֵלָֽיו׃
And know that the LORD has set apart the faithful one for Himself; the LORD will hear when I call to Him.… Learn Hebrew
Strength in Repetition: The Binyanim Behind Divine Encouragement
וְעַתָּ֣ה חֲזַ֣ק זְרֻבָּבֶ֣ל נְאֻם־יְהוָ֡ה וַחֲזַ֣ק יְהֹושֻׁ֣עַ בֶּן־יְהֹוצָדָק֩ הַכֹּהֵ֨ן הַגָּדֹ֜ול וַחֲזַ֨ק כָּל־עַ֥ם הָאָ֛רֶץ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֖ה וַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י אִתְּכֶ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹֽות׃ (Haggai 2:4)
But now, be strong, Zerubbabel—declares YHWH—and be strong, Yehoshua son of Yehotsadaq, the high priest, and be strong, all the people of the land—declares YHWH—and work! For I am with you—declares YHWH of Hosts.
Divine Grammar in Triplets
The Hebrew of Haggai 2:4 builds intensity through grammatical repetition. Three consecutive imperatives of the verb חזק (“be strong”) frame YHWH’s address to three distinct groups.… Learn Hebrew
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The Hifil Verb וַיַּלְעֵג in Nehemiah 4:1
Introduction to Nehemiah 4:1
Nehemiah 4:1 describes the reaction of Sanballat upon hearing that the Israelites were rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. His response is one of anger and mockery, as captured by the Hifil verb וַיַּלְעֵג (vayyilʿēg). This verb is key to understanding the intensity and direction of his scorn, as the Hifil stem often implies causative action. This analysis will explore the morphology, syntactic function, and semantic implications of וַיַּלְעֵג in Biblical Hebrew.
וַיְהִ֞י כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר שָׁמַ֣ע סַנְבַלַּ֗ט כִּֽי־אֲנַ֤חְנוּ בֹונִים֙ אֶת־הַ֣חֹומָ֔ה וַיִּ֣חַר לֹ֔ו וַיִּכְעַ֖ס הַרְבֵּ֑ה וַיַּלְעֵ֖ג עַל־הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃
Analysis of Key Words/Phrases
The Hifil verb וַיַּלְעֵג (vayyilʿēg) appears in the phrase:
וַיַּלְעֵ֖ג עַל־הַיְּהוּדִֽים
This phrase consists of:
וַיַּלְעֵג (vayyilʿēg) – “He mocked” (Hifil verb).… Learn Hebrew
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Grammatical-Theological Analysis of Psalm 30:4
יְֽהוָ֗ה הֶֽעֱלִ֣יתָ מִן־שְׁאֹ֣ול נַפְשִׁ֑י חִ֝יִּיתַ֗נִי מִיֹּרְדֵי־בֹֽור׃
1. Verb Forms and Divine Action: הֶעֱלִ֣יתָ and חִיִּיתַ֗נִי
The first verb, הֶֽעֱלִ֣יתָ (“You brought up”), is a Hifil perfect 2nd person masculine singular from the root עָלָה (“to go up”). The Hifil stem gives it a causative nuance—”You caused [me] to ascend.” This verb conveys divine initiative in reversing the downward trajectory of death or despair. The perfect form marks the action as completed: God has definitively intervened.
The second verb, חִיִּיתַ֗נִי (“You gave me life”), is also a Hifil perfect 2nd person masculine singular, from the root חָיָה (“to live”).… Learn Hebrew
The Push and Pull of Hiphil in Job 36:18
כִּֽי־֭חֵמָה פֶּן־יְסִֽיתְךָ֣ בְסָ֑פֶק וְרָב־֝כֹּ֗פֶר אַל־יַטֶּֽךָּ׃
(Job 36:18)
For wrath lest it entice you into doubt, and abundance of ransom do not let it turn you aside
Why the Stems Matter Here
This verse sits within Elihu’s discourse, a caution to Job against being pulled off course—whether by the consuming power of anger or by the deceptive weight of wealth. Both dangers are portrayed with verbs in the Hiphil, the causative stem. The grammar makes wrath and ransom into active agents that pressure Job, rather than neutral realities he simply observes.… Learn Hebrew