Tag Archives: Psalm 9:20

“Set a Teacher Over Them”: The Grammatical Mystery of Psalm 9:20

Posted on September 20, 2024 by Advanced Hebrew Grammar
שִׁ֘יתָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה מֹורָ֗ה לָ֫הֶ֥ם יֵדְע֥וּ גֹויִ֑ם אֱנֹ֖ושׁ הֵ֣מָּה סֶּֽלָה׃ In the closing lines of Tehillim 9:20, we find a verse that appears simple at first glance, yet holds a grammatical anomaly so striking that it has puzzled scholars for centuries. At its heart is the word שִׁיתָה — a form found almost nowhere else in Biblical Hebrew. This rare verb form raises an essential question: what does it mean for God to “set” or “place” a teacher over the nations? And why is this act framed in such an unusual way?… Learn Hebrew
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Terror as a Teacher: How Binyanim Drive the Plea in Psalm 9:20

Posted on September 20, 2022 by Biblical Hebrew
שִׁ֘יתָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה מֹורָ֗ה לָ֫הֶ֥ם יֵדְע֥וּ גֹויִ֑ם אֱנֹ֖ושׁ הֵ֣מָּה סֶּֽלָה׃ (Psalm 9:20) Place YHWH terror upon them let the nations know they are mortals Selah Introduction: When Syntax Pleads and Binyanim Roar Psalm 9:20 is not merely a poetic appeal for justice—it is a syntactic cry for divine instruction through fear. The verbs שִׁ֘יתָ֤ה and יֵדְע֥וּ stand as cornerstones in this verse, one anchoring a divine imperative, the other foretelling its human result. Each verb comes wrapped in a distinct binyan, and together they construct a powerful theological architecture: God places terror, and in response, the nations come to know who and what they truly are.… Learn Hebrew
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