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Recent Articles
- Scroll Marginalia: Weighted Syntax and Sanctified Measures (Numbers 7:31, Onkelos)
- “His Hands Shall Bring the Fire-Offerings”: Learning Sacred Hebrew Through Priestly Ritual
- Grammar of Offering: Enumerative Syntax and Appositional Closure
- The Nation That Would Not Listen: Relative Clauses, Coordinated Verbs, and Elliptical Judgment
- Wisdom in Layers: Demonstrative Syntax and Infinitive Purpose in Qohelet
- The Syntax of Sacred Prohibition: Blood in Leviticus 7:26
- From Exodus to Exhortation: The Syntax of Divine Persistence
- Gathered for Judgment: Syntactic Accumulation in Joshua 7:24
- Flying into the Trap: Syntactic Irony in Proverbs 7:23
- Little by Little: Divine Delay and Wild Beasts
- “And the Fish Died and the Nile Stank”: A Hebrew Lesson from Egypt’s First Plague
- The Subtle Grammar of Possession in Biblical Hebrew
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“Where Have You Come From?”: Grammar of Inquiry and Flight in the Hagar Encounter
Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου Αγαρ παιδίσκη Σαρας πόθεν ἔρχῃ καὶ ποῦ πορεύῃ καὶ εἶπεν ἀπὸ προσώπου Σαρας τῆς κυρίας μου ἐγὼ ἀποδιδράσκω (Genesis 16:8 LXX)
וַיֹּאמַ֗ר הָגָ֞ר שִׁפְחַ֥ת שָׂרַ֛י אֵֽי־מִזֶּ֥ה בָ֖את וְאָ֣נָה תֵלֵ֑כִי וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מִפְּנֵי֙ שָׂרַ֣י גְּבִרְתִּ֔י אָנֹכִ֖י בֹּרַֽחַת׃
Divine Interrogation in the Wilderness
This verse preserves one of the earliest theophanic dialogues with a woman in the Bible. The angel’s question to Hagar—both searching and compassionate—offers a glimpse into the grammar of inquiry and personal agency. In the Hebrew, the question is poetic and elliptical; in the Greek, it is expanded and formalized.… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Septuagint Studies, Textual Criticism
Tagged Genesis 16:8
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The Semantics and Theological Implications of Divine Remembrance in Genesis 8:1
Introduction to Genesis 8:1
Genesis 8:1 marks a turning point in the Flood narrative, emphasizing that God “remembered” Noah and the animals in the ark, leading to the recession of the waters. The phrase “And God remembered” (וַיִּזְכֹּ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙) is a key biblical idiom that does not indicate a lapse in divine awareness, but rather the initiation of divine action on behalf of the remembered subject.
This verse contains:
The verb וַיִּזְכֹּ֤ר (“And He remembered”), which conveys covenantal faithfulness rather than simple recollection.… Learn Hebrew
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Double Usage of הוּא: Emphatic Subject Repetition in Biblical Hebrew
Introduction to Ezra 7:6
The verse in Ezra 7:6 presents a notable grammatical feature that warrants close attention: the repeated use of the independent pronoun הוּא (“he”) at the beginning of two clauses. This repetition is not mere redundancy; rather, it serves a distinct emphatic and syntactical function within Biblical Hebrew narrative style. This lesson explores how the double appearance of הוּא functions grammatically and semantically in this verse.
ה֤וּא עֶזְרָא֙ עָלָ֣ה מִבָּבֶ֔ל וְהֽוּא־סֹפֵ֤ר מָהִיר֙ בְּתֹורַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּתֶּן־לֹ֣ו הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ כְּיַד־יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהָיו֙ עָלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל בַּקָּשָׁתֹֽו׃
Analysis of Key Words and Structures
הוּא (hu) – Independent pronoun, masculine singular.… Learn Hebrew
The Morphology and Semantics of Divine Imperatives in Genesis 7:1
Introduction to Genesis 7:1
Genesis 7:1 records a direct divine command to Noah, instructing him to enter the ark with his household before the impending flood. This verse contains imperative and perfect verb forms, structured in a way that highlights divine authority and Noah’s obedience.
The verse consists of:
A direct divine speech formula (וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ לְנֹ֔חַ, “And YHWH said to Noah”).
An imperative verb directing Noah’s action (בֹּֽא־אַתָּ֥ה, “Come, you”).
A reason for the command (כִּֽי־אֹתְךָ֥ רָאִ֛יתִי צַדִּ֥יק, “For I have seen you as righteous”).… Learn Hebrew
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From Thrones to Dust: Object Suffix Chains and Grief Syntax in Targum Jonathan on Ezekiel 26:16
וְיֶחֱתוּן מֵעַל כּוּרְסְוָתֵיהוֹן כָּל רַבְרְבֵי יַמָא וְיַעְדוּן יַת מְעִילֵיהוֹן וְיַת לְבוּשֵׁי צִיוּרֵיהוֹן יַשְׁלְחוּן זְיַע יִלְבְּשׁוּן עַל אַרְעָא יַתְבוּן וִיזוּעוּן מִן קֳדָם תְּבִירֵיהוֹן וְיִצְדוּן עֲלָךְ
And all the lords of the sea shall descend from their thrones, and they shall remove their cloaks and the garments of their adornments; trembling they shall put on; they shall sit upon the ground and shall quake before their breaking, and shall lament over you.
Why This Verse?
This verse from Targum Jonathan on Ezekiel 26:16 is a poetic and powerful expression of lament over Tyre.… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Aramaic
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Who May Eat the Offering? Exploring a Sacred Rule in Leviticus 6:22
כָּל־זָכָ֥ר בַּכֹּהֲנִ֖ים יֹאכַ֣ל אֹתָ֑הּ קֹ֥דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֖ים הִֽוא׃
(Leviticus 6:22)
Every male among the priests may eat it; it is most holy.
Word-by-Word Explanation
כָּל־ – “every”Adjective meaning “all” or “every.” A versatile Hebrew word used to describe the totality of a group. The little dash (־) is a maqqef, which links it closely to the next word.
זָכָ֥ר – “male”Noun. This tells us the rule is specifically about males. Combined with כָּל־, we get: “every male.”
בַּכֹּהֲנִ֖ים – “among the priests”This is the preposition בְּ (“in” or “among”) combined with הַ (“the”) and כֹּהֲנִים (“priests”).… Learn Hebrew
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Grammatical-Theological Analysis of Deuteronomy 16:6
כִּ֠י אִֽם־אֶל־הַמָּקֹ֞ום אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ לְשַׁכֵּ֣ן שְׁמֹ֔ו שָׁ֛ם תִּזְבַּ֥ח אֶת־הַפֶּ֖סַח בָּעָ֑רֶב כְּבֹ֣וא הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ מֹועֵ֖ד צֵֽאתְךָ֥ מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
1. Exclusive Worship and Divine Selection: כִּ֠י אִם־אֶל־הַמָּקֹ֞ום אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר
The verse begins with the conditional-adversative structure כִּ֠י אִם—a strong form of exclusivity in Biblical Hebrew. It functions as “but only,” narrowing acceptable worship to a single location.
אֶל־הַמָּקֹום (“to the place”) includes the directional preposition אֶל (“to”) and the definite noun הַמָּקֹום (“the place”), suggesting a specific, divinely appointed site. The participial clause אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַר (“which He will choose”) uses a Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular verb from בָּחַר (“to choose”), indicating a future, sovereign selection by YHWH.… Learn Hebrew
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The Voice That Slips Away: Temporal Disjunction and Emotional Tension in Song of Songs 5:6
פָּתַ֤חְתִּֽי אֲנִי֙ לְדֹודִ֔י וְדֹודִ֖י חָמַ֣ק עָבָ֑ר נַפְשִׁי֙ יָֽצְאָ֣ה בְדַבְּרֹ֔ו בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֨יהוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א מְצָאתִ֔יהוּ קְרָאתִ֖יו וְלֹ֥א עָנָֽנִי׃
Poetry of Absence
In this verse from the Song of Songs, we witness a moment of intimate longing turned to heartbreak. The beloved knocks, she hesitates, opens—and he is gone. This poetic line is not only emotionally vivid but grammatically intricate. Embedded within it lies a profound tension between completed action and emotional immediacy, conveyed through a striking interplay of perfective verbs and existential intensity.… Learn Hebrew
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The Formulaic Structure of Divine Speech Introductions in Numbers 6:1
Introduction to Numbers 6:1
Numbers 6:1 introduces a new section of divine instruction, following the common Torah formula used to introduce commands, laws, and covenantal obligations. This formula, often structured as “And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying”, appears frequently in the Pentateuch and serves as a key literary and grammatical marker.
The verse consists of:
The standard introductory formula (וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה, “And YHWH spoke to Moses”).
The infinitive construct לֵאמֹֽר (“saying“), which introduces direct speech.
This study will analyze the morphology and syntactic function of this formula, its significance in legal and narrative contexts, and its theological implications in divine revelation.… Learn Hebrew
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Written in Stone: The Binyanim That Chronicle Kings
וְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י בַעְשָׁ֛א וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה וּגְבֽוּרָתֹ֑ו הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (1 Kings 16:5)
And the rest of the acts of Baʿsha and what he did and his might—are they not written on the scroll of the chronicles of the kings of Yisraʾel?
Overview: A Verse That Closes a Reign
This verse comes from the formulaic closing lines used throughout Kings to wrap up a monarch’s story. Though seemingly simple, the verbs here carry narrative weight: they summarize action, emphasize remembrance, and close the curtain.… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Binyanim
Tagged 1 Kings 16:5
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