Biblical Hebrew

The Syntax of Royal Speech: Proverbs 16:10 as Judicial Utterance

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Biblical Hebrew

קֶ֤סֶם עַֽל־שִׂפְתֵי־מֶ֑לֶךְ בְּ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗ט לֹ֣א יִמְעַל־פִּֽיו׃ (Proverbs 16:10) An oracle is on the lips of a king; in judgment, his mouth does not betray. Syntax as the Throne of Judgment Proverbs 16:10 is a proverb about royal authority, emphasizing the weight of a king’s words in the context of justice. The verse draws on metaphor and legal language, structured in a two-part parallelism. Its syntax reflects both reverence for royal speech and the ethical ideal that a king’s mouth should never betray justice.… Learn Hebrew

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The Function and Semantics of the Hitpa‘el Stem in Ezra 10:1

Posted on October 1, 2016 by Biblical Hebrew

וּכְהִתְפַּלֵּ֤ל עֶזְרָא֙ וּכְ֨הִתְוַדֹּתֹ֔ו בֹּכֶה֙ וּמִתְנַפֵּ֔ל לִפְנֵ֖י בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים נִקְבְּצוּ֩ אֵלָ֨יו מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֜ל קָהָ֣ל רַב־מְאֹ֗ד אֲנָשִׁ֤ים וְנָשִׁים֙ וִֽילָדִ֔ים כִּֽי־בָכ֥וּ הָעָ֖ם הַרְבֵּה־בֶֽכֶה׃ (Ezra 10:1) And as Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and falling before the house of God, a very great assembly of Israel—men, women, and children—gathered to him, for the people wept with much weeping. Ezra 10:1 describes Ezra’s public prayer and confession, which deeply moves the people of Israel, leading them to a communal act of repentance. This verse contains multiple hitpa‘el (התפעל) verbs, a Hebrew verb stem that typically expresses reflexive, reciprocal, or iterative action.… Learn Hebrew

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iThe Binyanim That Brought Life Back: A Morphological Revival in Genesis 45:27

Posted on September 27, 2016 by Biblical Hebrew

וַיְדַבְּר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו אֵ֣ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֤י יֹוסֵף֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־הָ֣עֲגָלֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח יֹוסֵ֖ף לָשֵׂ֣את אֹתֹ֑ו וַתְּחִ֕י ר֖וּחַ יַעֲקֹ֥ב אֲבִיהֶֽם׃ When Verbs Carry Emotion and Resurrection Genesis 45:27 captures the moment Yaʿaqov hears—and believes—that Yosef is alive. But this belief doesn’t come through argument or proof; it arrives through verbs. Speaking, seeing, sending, carrying, reviving—each action is wrapped in a carefully chosen binyan. From Qal to Piel, from causative motion to emotional ignition, this verse becomes a miniature narrative of linguistic resurrection. Layer by Layer: Binyanim Behind the Revival 1.… Learn Hebrew

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The Custom of Removing the Sandal in Ancient Israelite Legal Transactions

Posted on September 3, 2016 by Biblical Hebrew

This article will analyze the linguistic structure and function of the verb שָׁלַף (“to remove”), its usage in legal discourse, and the broader implications of the sandal-removal custom in Biblical Hebrew law. וְזֹאת֩ לְפָנִ֨ים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל עַל־הַגְּאוּלָּ֤ה וְעַל־הַתְּמוּרָה֙ לְקַיֵּ֣ם כָּל־דָּבָ֔ר שָׁלַ֥ף אִ֛ישׁ נַעֲלֹ֖ו וְנָתַ֣ן לְרֵעֵ֑הוּ וְזֹ֥את הַתְּעוּדָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (Ruth 4:7) Now this was formerly the custom in Israel concerning redemption and exchange, to confirm every matter: a man would remove his sandal and give it to his neighbor, and this was the attestation in Israel.… Learn Hebrew

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The Syntactic and Rhetorical Structure of Geographic Listings in Joshua 9:1

Posted on September 1, 2016 by Biblical Hebrew

This study will analyze the structure of geographic listings, the function of the temporal clause, and the role of parallelism in listing nations in Biblical narrative. וַיְהִ֣י כִשְׁמֹ֣עַ כָּֽל־הַמְּלָכִ֡ים אֲשֶׁר֩ בְּעֵ֨בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֜ן בָּהָ֣ר וּבַשְּׁפֵלָ֗ה וּבְכֹל֙ חֹ֚וף הַיָּ֣ם הַגָּדֹ֔ול אֶל־מ֖וּל הַלְּבָנֹ֑ון הַֽחִתִּי֙ וְהָ֣אֱמֹרִ֔י הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ הַפְּרִזִּ֔י הַחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִֽי׃ (Joshua 9:1) And it came to pass when all the kings who were beyond the Yarden, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the coast of the Great Sea opposite the Levanon—the Ḥitti, and the Emori, the Kenaʿani, the Perizzi, the Ḥivvi, and the Yevusi—heard of it, Joshua 9:1 introduces a significant narrative development, where multiple kings from different regions react to Israel’s conquests.… Learn Hebrew

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When Heaven Shook the Earth: Sound, Fear, and Syntax at Sinai

Posted on August 19, 2016 by Advanced Hebrew Grammar

וַיְהִי֩ בַיֹּ֨ום הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י בִּֽהְיֹ֣ת הַבֹּ֗קֶר וַיְהִי֩ קֹלֹ֨ת וּבְרָקִ֜ים וְעָנָ֤ן כָּבֵד֙ עַל־הָהָ֔ר וְקֹ֥ל שֹׁפָ֖ר חָזָ֣ק מְאֹ֑ד וַיֶּחֱרַ֥ד כָּל־הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ (Exodus 19:16) Temporal Framing with Double Participle וַיְהִי֩ בַיֹּ֨ום הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י בִּֽהְיֹ֣ת הַבֹּ֗קֶר “And it was on the third day, when the morning came…” This structure uses: A wayyiqtol verb: וַיְהִי (“and it came to be”) A temporal noun phrase: בַיֹּ֨ום הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י (“on the third day”) A construct infinitive clause: בִּֽהְיֹ֣ת הַבֹּ֗קֶר (“when it was morning”) This sets a cinematic scene—a specific time bracketed by expectation and solemnity, initiating one of the most dramatic theophanies in Scripture.… Learn Hebrew

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“Where Have You Come From?”: Grammar of Inquiry and Flight in the Hagar Encounter

Posted on August 16, 2016 by Hebraean / Hebraeon

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

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The Semantics and Theological Implications of Divine Remembrance in Genesis 8:1

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Biblical Hebrew

This study will analyze the meaning of divine remembrance, the syntactic structure of וַיִּזְכֹּ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙, and the role of parallelism in biblical prose. וַיִּזְכֹּ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־נֹ֔חַ וְאֵ֤ת כָּל־הַֽחַיָּה֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתֹּ֖ו בַּתֵּבָ֑ה וַיַּעֲבֵ֨ר אֱלֹהִים ר֨וּחַ֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיָּשֹׁ֖כּוּ הַמָּֽיִם׃ (Genesis 8:1) And God remembered Noaḥ, and every living thing, and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. 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.… Learn Hebrew

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Double Usage of הוּא: Emphatic Subject Repetition in Biblical Hebrew

Posted on July 6, 2016 by 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

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The Morphology and Semantics of Divine Imperatives in Genesis 7:1

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Biblical Hebrew

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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