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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.
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.
Examples from Proverbs 18:6
Phrase
Structure
Explanation
שִׂפְתֵי כְסִיל
Construct chain (plural noun + noun)
“The lips of a fool” – indicates possession; subject of the first clause
יָבֹאוּ בְרִיב
Yiqtol (3mp) + prepositional phrase
“come with strife” – describes the fool’s speech leading to conflict
פִיו לְמַהֲלֻמוֹת יִקְרָא
Construct chain + verb (yiqtol)
“his mouth calls for blows” – his speech provokes violent response
Related Grammatical Insight
Construct chains express close relationships like ownership or classification:
דִּבְרֵי חָכָם – “the words of a wise man”
דַּעַת יְהוָה – “the knowledge of YHWH”
Parallelism in Hebrew poetry functions to reinforce meaning:
Line A: “the lips of a fool bring strife”
Line B: “his mouth calls for blows”
Yiqtol verbs like יִקְרָא and יָבֹאוּ are used here as gnomic (timeless) statements, expressing universal truths about behavior.… Learn Hebrew
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