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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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Collective Subjects and Mixed Word Order in Post-Exilic Prose
Introduction to Ezra 10:44
This verse concludes the list of Israelites who had married foreign women, a central issue in Ezra’s reform movement. The syntax in this verse reflects post-exilic Hebrew style, featuring collective subjects, mixed singular/plural agreement, and a syntactically loose final clause. This lesson will focus on the interaction between collective nouns and verb agreement, and the use of mixed word order to convey summary judgments in administrative Hebrew.
כָּל־אֵ֕לֶּה נָשְׂא֣וּ נָשִׁ֣ים נָכְרִיֹּ֑ות וְיֵ֣שׁ מֵהֶ֣ם נָשִׁ֔ים וַיָּשִׂ֖ימוּ בָּנִֽים׃
Analysis of Key Words and Structures
כָּל־אֵ֕לֶּה (kol-elleh) – “All these.”… Learn Hebrew
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The Structure of וַיִּוָּלְד֥וּ and the Concept of Genealogy in Genesis 10:1
Introduction to Genesis 10:1
Genesis 10:1 serves as an introduction to the Table of Nations, listing the descendants of שֵׁם, חָם, וָיָפֶת (Shem, Ḥam, and Yafet), the sons of נֹחַ (Noaḥ), who repopulated the earth after the Flood. This verse features significant grammatical elements, including the Niphal verb וַיִּוָּלְד֥וּ, which expresses passive action in Biblical Hebrew. Understanding the Niphal stem and how Hebrew genealogical formulas function provides insight into the structure and theological significance of biblical lineage records.
וְאֵ֨לֶּה֙ תֹּולְדֹ֣ת בְּנֵי־נֹ֔חַ שֵׁ֖ם חָ֣ם וָיָ֑פֶת וַיִּוָּלְד֥וּ לָהֶ֛ם בָּנִ֖ים אַחַ֥ר הַמַּבּֽוּל׃
Analysis of Key Words/Phrases
1.… Learn Hebrew
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The Use of Imperatives and Divine Blessing in Genesis 9:1
Introduction to Genesis 9:1
Genesis 9:1 marks a new beginning after the Flood, where אֱלֹהִים (Elohim, “God”) blesses נֹחַ (Noaḥ, “Noah”) and his sons, giving them a command similar to that given to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28. This verse prominently features imperative verbs (פְּרוּ, רְבוּ, מִלְאוּ – “be fruitful, multiply, and fill”), which express direct commands. The verse also includes a wayyiqtol form (וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ, “And He blessed”), indicating sequential divine action.
וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶת־נֹ֖חַ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֑יו וַיֹּ֧אמֶר לָהֶ֛ם פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֖וּ וּמִלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Analysis of Key Words/Phrases
1.… Learn Hebrew
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Walk, Write, Return: The Binyanim of Obedient Action in Joshua 18:8
וַיָּקֻ֥מוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַיֵּלֵ֑כוּ וַיְצַ֣ו יְהֹושֻׁ֡עַ אֶת־הַהֹלְכִים֩ לִכְתֹּ֨ב אֶת־הָאָ֜רֶץ לֵאמֹ֗ר לְ֠כוּ וְהִתְהַלְּכ֨וּ בָאָ֜רֶץ וְכִתְב֤וּ אֹותָּהּ֙ וְשׁ֣וּבוּ אֵלַ֔י וּ֠פֹה אַשְׁלִ֨יךְ לָכֶ֥ם גֹּורָ֛ל לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה בְּשִׁלֹֽה׃ (Joshua 18:8)
And the men arose and went, and Yehoshua commanded those going to describe the land, saying, “Go and walk through the land and write it, and return to me, and here I will cast lots for you before YHWH in Shiloh.”
Introduction: Mobilizing the Tribal Surveyors
In this verse, Yehoshua instructs a group of men to map the land of Yisraʾel in preparation for its distribution.… Learn Hebrew
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Roots Below, Harvest Above: Reading Job 18:16 in Hebrew
מִ֭תַּחַת שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו יִבָ֑שׁוּ וּ֝מִמַּ֗עַל יִמַּ֥ל קְצִירֹֽו׃
(Job 18:16)
From beneath his roots they dry up, and from above his harvest withers.
“Don’t worry if it feels strange—each word you decode is another brick in your Hebrew foundation!”
Word-by-Word Explanation
מִתַּחַת — “from beneath.” The preposition מִן (“from”) joined to תַּחַת (“under, beneath”).
שָׁרָשָׁיו — “his roots.” From שֹׁרֶשׁ (“root”) with plural + possessive suffix -ָיו (“his”).
יִבָשׁוּ — “they dry up.” Imperfect 3rd masculine plural from the root meaning “to dry/wither,” with שָׁרָשָׁיו (“his roots”) as the subject.… Learn Hebrew
“Who Shut in the Sea?” — A Dramatic Moment from Job 38:8
וַיָּ֣סֶךְ בִּדְלָתַ֣יִם יָ֑ם בְּ֝גִיחֹ֗ו מֵרֶ֥חֶם יֵצֵֽא׃
(Job 38:8)
And He shut in the sea with doors, when it burst forth, it came out from the womb.
Word-by-Word Explanation
וַיָּסֶךְ – “And He shut in”Verb, Qal stem, imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular, with vav-consecutive
– From the root סָכַךְ, meaning “to shut in,” “cover,” or “enclose”
– וַ = “And” (vav-consecutive) makes this a past narrative action
This begins the poetic picture of YHWH’s creation power—shutting in the sea like closing a door.… Learn Hebrew
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The Use of Wayyiqtol and Divine Remembrance in Genesis 8:1
וַיִּזְכֹּ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־נֹ֔חַ וְאֵ֤ת כָּל־הַֽחַיָּה֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתֹּ֖ו בַּתֵּבָ֑ה וַיַּעֲבֵ֨ר אֱלֹהִ֥ים ר֨וּחַ֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיָּשֹׁ֖כּוּ הַמָּֽיִם׃
(Genesis 8:1)
And God remembered Noah and every living thing and all the animals that were with him in the ark and God caused a wind to pass over the earth and the waters subsided.
Introduction to Genesis 8:1
Genesis 8:1 marks a pivotal moment in the Flood narrative, where אֱלֹהִים (Elohim, “God”) actively intervenes by remembering נֹחַ (Noaḥ, “Noah”) and the creatures on the ark.… Learn Hebrew
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Prophecy and Politics: Direct Speech, Negation, and Verbal Nuance in 2 Chronicles 18:7
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל אֶֽל־יְהֹושָׁפָ֡ט עֹ֣וד אִישׁ־אֶחָ֡ד לִדְרֹושׁ֩ אֶת־יְהוָ֨ה מֵֽאֹתֹ֜ו וַאֲנִ֣י שְׂנֵאתִ֗יהוּ כִּֽי־֠אֵינֶנּוּ מִתְנַבֵּ֨א עָלַ֤י לְטֹובָה֙ כִּ֣י כָל־יָמָ֣יו לְרָעָ֔ה ה֖וּא מִיכָ֣יְהוּ בֶן־יִמְלָ֑א וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ יְהֹ֣ושָׁפָ֔ט אַל־יֹאמַ֥ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ כֵּֽן׃
(2 Chronicles 18:7)
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat there is still one man to inquire of YJWH from him but I hate him because he does not prophesy good concerning me but all his days evil he is Micaiah son of Imlah and Jehoshaphat said let not the king say so.
Framing the Dialogue: וַיֹּאמֶר … וַיֹּאמֶר
The verse is framed by two sequential narrative verbs:
וַיֹּאמֶר — Qal wayyiqtol 3ms of אָמַר (“he said”), the typical narrative past form introducing speech
First spoken by מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל (King of Yisraʾel), and then by יְהֹושָׁפָט (Yehoshafat), king of Yehudah.… Learn Hebrew
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The Use of Perfect Verbs in Prophetic Judgment and the Syntax of Betrayal in Obadiah 1:7
עַֽד־הַגְּב֣וּל שִׁלְּח֗וּךָ כֹּ֚ל אַנְשֵׁ֣י בְרִיתֶ֔ךָ הִשִּׁיא֛וּךָ יָכְל֥וּ לְךָ֖ אַנְשֵׁ֣י שְׁלֹמֶ֑ךָ לַחְמְךָ֗ יָשִׂ֤ימוּ מָזֹור֙ תַּחְתֶּ֔יךָ אֵ֥ין תְּבוּנָ֖ה בֹּֽו׃
Up to the border they sent you all the men of your covenant they deceived you they prevailed against you the men of your peace your bread they set a snare beneath you there is no understanding in him.
Introduction to Obadiah 1:7
Obadiah 1:7 is part of a prophecy against Edom, describing betrayal by its allies. The verse employs perfect verbs to express completed actions with ongoing consequences, reinforcing the certainty of Edom’s downfall.… Learn Hebrew
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Proverbs 18:6 – Parallelism and Construct Chains with Abstract Nouns
שִׂפְתֵ֣י כְ֭סִיל יָבֹ֣אוּ בְרִ֑יב וּ֝פִ֗יו לְֽמַהֲלֻמֹ֥ות יִקְרָֽא׃
The lips of a fool come with strife, and his mouth calls for blows.
Explanation of Feature
This proverb from Proverbs 18:6 features:
Construct chains such as שִׂפְתֵי כְסִיל (“the lips of a fool”), where two nouns are joined in a possessive/genitive relationship.
A parallelism typical of Hebrew poetry, where the second clause echoes or intensifies the first.
Use of an abstract plural noun מַהֲלֻמוֹת (“blows”) with a verb (יִקְרָא, “calls”) to express figurative consequence.… Learn Hebrew
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