An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

ַ ִ ֱ ַ ַ
֫ ַ
a The emphatic particle is used most often to mark the definite direct object of a
transitive verb.
1. ןגּ םיהלֹא הוהי עטִּיּו And YHWH God planted a garden…and placed Adam
ם ָשׁ ם ֶשׂ ָיּו ... there.
2.
םדָ אָ ה־ת ָ אֶ
בי ִשׁ הָ ְל דוֹע לֹכָי־אֹ לוְ רב֑ ָ דּ ָ ר ֵנ ְבא־ת ַ אֶ
3. תַ יּח־ת ַ א ֶ םיהלֹ ִ א ֱ שׂ ַע ֫
ַיּוַ ץרֶ א֫ ָ הָ
Gen 2:8
He was not able to answer Abner.
2 Sam 3:11
God made the wild animals.
Gen 1:25
In a series of definite direct objects, if the particle is used on one member of
the series it is ordinarily used on each (# 4); occasionally the initial ˒t in a series
overrides the later objects (# 5).
4. ינִ ֲענ ַ ְכּה־ת ַ אֶ
וּכַּ יּוַ They smote the Canaanites and the Perizzites.
5.
6.
7.
8.
׃יזִּ רִ ְפּה־ת ַ אֶ וְ
ינִ ֲענ ַ ְכּה־ת ַ א ֶ הוהי ןתִּ ֵ יּוַ םדָי ֑ ָ בּ ְ יזִּ רִ ְפּהַ וְ
Judg l:5
Judg 1:4
Pronouns with ˒t are definite.
יתִּ ְגר֫ ַהָ
ה ָכתֹא־ם ְ ַגּ
׃יתי ִ ֵי֫ חֱ ה ֶ הּתוֹא ָ וְ
הז־ת ֶ א־ם ֶ ַגּ
םתֶּ חְ קַ ְלוּ
ינַ ָפּ ם ִע ֵמ
YHWH gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into
their power.
I would certainly have killed you by now, but I
would have spared her.
Num 22:33
And if you also take this one from me…
Gen 44:29
ח ַל ְשׁ אֶ ימ־ת ִ אֶ
Whom shall I send?
Isa 6:8
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Constructions with ‘all’ and numbers also involve a logical determination.
9.
םיהלֹ ִ אֱ
ארָ ְבִ יּוַ םי֑ לֹד ִ גְּ ה ַ ם ִנינִּ תַּ ה־ת ַ אֶ
הָיּחַ ה ַ שׁפֶ ֶנ־ל ֫ ָכּ תאֵ וְ
ת ֶשׂ מֹר ֶ֫
הָ
And God created the great creatures of the sea and
every living and moving thing.