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Recent Articles
- “Even in Your Thoughts”: The Subtle Hebrew Wisdom of Ecclesiastes 10:20
- The Silence of Wisdom: Verbal Restraint and Hebrew Syntax in Proverbs 10:19
- Intercession in Action: The Hebrew Flow of Exodus 10:18
- Endless Trials: Exploring the Hebrew of Job 10:17
- “I Have Sinned”: The Grammar of Urgency and Confession in Exodus 10:16
- Order in Motion: Nethanʾel son of Tsuʿar and the March of Issachar
- The Grammar of Vision: Enumerative Syntax and Symbolic Order in Ezekiel 10:14
- The Grammar of Divine Meteorology: Syntax and Pragmatic Force in Jeremiah 10:13
- When the Sun Stood Still: Syntax and Command in Joshua 10:12
- Woven with Wonder: Syntax and Embodied Imagery in Job 10:11
- The Wink and the Wound: Syntax, Parallelism, and Irony in Proverbs 10:10
- The Grammar of Surprise: The Wayyiqtol Chain and Temporal Progression in Joshua 10:9
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Tag Archives: Job
“Then Iyov Answered and Said”: Formulaic Speech Introductions in Biblical Hebrew
וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
(Job 3:2)
Then Job answered and said:
The Turning Point of Silence into Speech
Job 3:2 contains only six Hebrew words, yet it marks a pivotal moment in the literary structure of the book: וַיַּ֥עַן אִיֹּ֗וב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ — “Then Iyov answered and said.” This terse formula is the standard biblical narrative introduction to direct speech, particularly in dialogues. After a long narrative setup in chapters 1–2 and seven days of silence (Job 2:13), these words announce the beginning of Iyov’s poetic lament.… Learn Hebrew
The Use of Construct Chains in Job 1:3
וַיְהִ֣י מִ֠קְנֵהוּ שִֽׁבְעַ֨ת אַלְפֵי־צֹ֜אן וּשְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת אַלְפֵ֣י גְמַלִּ֗ים וַחֲמֵ֨שׁ מֵאֹ֤ות צֶֽמֶד־בָּקָר֙ וַחֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵאֹ֣ות אֲתֹונֹ֔ות וַעֲבֻדָּ֖ה רַבָּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וַיְהִי֙ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא גָּדֹ֖ול מִכָּל־בְּנֵי־קֶֽדֶם׃
(Job 1:3)
And his livestock was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was greater than all the sons of the east.
Job 1:3 describes Job’s great wealth in terms of livestock and servants, using several construct chains to show possession and quantity.… Learn Hebrew
The Use of the Cohortative Verb in Job 31:1
Job 31:1 in Hebrew
בְּ֭רִית כָּרַ֣תִּי לְעֵינָ֑י וּמָ֥ה אֶ֝תְבֹּונֵ֗ן עַל־בְּתוּלָֽה׃
Introduction to the Verse
Job 31:1 contains an example of a cohortative verb, which expresses desire, intention, or resolve. The key verb to examine is אֶתְבֹּונֵן (ʾetbōnēn), which appears in the cohortative form.
Understanding the Cohortative Form
1. Definition of the Cohortative
– The cohortative is a first-person verb form used to express intent, desire, determination, or self-motivation.
– It is common in prayers, personal declarations, and resolutions in the Hebrew Bible.… Learn Hebrew
The Meaning of תָּם וְיָשָׁר in Job 1:1
Job 1:1 in Hebrew
אִ֛ישׁ הָיָ֥ה בְאֶֽרֶץ־ע֖וּץ אִיֹּ֣וב שְׁמֹ֑ו וְהָיָ֣ה הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֗וּא תָּ֧ם וְיָשָׁ֛ר וִירֵ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְסָ֥ר מֵרָֽע׃
Introduction to Job’s Character
Job 1:1 introduces Job as a man of exemplary character, describing him with four key attributes:
תָּ֧ם וְיָשָׁ֛ר – “blameless and upright”
וִירֵ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים – “fearing God”
וְסָ֥ר מֵרָֽע – “turning away from evil”
The phrase תָּם וְיָשָׁר is particularly significant in biblical wisdom literature, reflecting moral integrity and righteousness.
Understanding תָּם and יָשָׁר
1. תָּם (Tam) – “Blameless” or “Complete”
– Derived from the root ת־מ־ם (t-m-m), meaning “to be complete, whole, or perfect.”… Learn Hebrew
“You Have Strengthened Knees That Were Bowing”: Causative Stems and Parallelism in Job 4:4
כֹּ֭ושֵׁל יְקִימ֣וּן מִלֶּ֑יךָ וּבִרְכַּ֖יִם כֹּרְעֹ֣ות תְּאַמֵּֽץ׃
(Job 4:4)
Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the knees that give way.
Eliphaz and the Power of Speech
Job 4:4 is part of Eliphaz’s opening speech, where he reminds Job of his past influence and moral strength. The verse praises Job for encouraging the weak, using evocative imagery of stumbling and bowed knees. The focus of this study is the poetic structure and the grammatical form תְּאַמֵּֽץ, a Piel stem that adds causative force to the meaning of the verb “to be strong.”… Learn Hebrew
The Answering Voice: Analyzing וַיַּעַן in Job 20:1
Introduction to Job 20:1: The Structure of Dialogue
Job 20:1 introduces the second speech of Ṣofar the Naʿamatite, one of Job’s three interlocutors. The verb וַיַּעַן (vayyaʿan), meaning “and he answered“, is a standard formula in biblical dialogue, particularly in narrative and poetic discourse. However, its function in the Book of Job carries literary, rhetorical, and theological weight. This article examines the morphology, syntax, and stylistic implications of וַיַּעַן as it initiates Ṣofar’s response within the dramatic framework of the dialogue.… Learn Hebrew
The Rhetorical Question and Parallelism in Job 11:2
Introduction to Job 11:2
Job 11:2 is part of Zophar’s first speech, in which he rebukes Job for his words and insists that Job’s suffering is the result of his sin. The verse employs a rhetorical question and parallel structure, both of which are common features in Hebrew poetry. The interrogative particle הֲ introduces a rhetorical question, while the parallelism between the two clauses reinforces Zophar’s argument that excessive speech does not justify innocence.
This study will analyze the syntax, grammatical features, and literary function of Job 11:2.… Learn Hebrew
The Cry of Endurance: Analyzing עַד־אָנָה in Job 19:2
עַד־֭אָנָה תֹּוגְי֣וּן נַפְשִׁ֑י וּֽתְדַכְּאוּנַ֥נִי בְמִלִּֽים׃
(Job 19:2)
How long will you torment my soul and crush me with words?
The Rhetoric of Lament
Job 19:2 is part of one of the most emotionally charged speeches in the Book of Job, where Job responds to his friends’ repeated accusations and moral judgments. His words are deeply personal, rhetorical, and anguished. The phrase עַד־אָנָה opens the verse with a powerful lament, best translated as “How long?” This article explores the grammatical construction, poetic force, and theological weight of עַד־אָנָה, revealing how it frames Job’s emotional suffering and deep existential appeal.… Learn Hebrew