An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

׃םהי ֶ ני ֵ בּ ֵ
20. וּנ ֵני ֫ בּ ֵ הוהי־ןתֽ ַ נ ָ לוּב ְגוּ
. . . ם ֶכיני ֵ בוּ ֵ
ןדֵּ רַיּ ְ ה־ת ַ א ֶ
11.2.7 ד ַע ַ֫בּ
Lam 1:17
YHWH has made the Jordan a boundary…between us
and you.
Josh 22:25
a This preposition forms suffixed phrases with both apparently singular and plural
bases (e.g., וֹד ֲע ַבּ, וּנדֵ֫ ֲע ַבּ, וּנידֵ֫ ֲע ַבּ); the form ינִ דֵ֫ ֲע ַבּ is used alongside ידִ ֲע ַבּ. The
locational[Page 202] sense can be simple (‘behind’; # 1) or comprehensive, referring
to wherever one turns one’s back (‘around, about’; # 2). With verbs of motion, b˓d
means ‘away from, with the back toward,’ though English perspective usually
demands ‘through’ or ‘over’ (# 3). 47 The preposition also designates interest or
advantage, arising from the idea of protection for (‘for the banefit/sake of’; # 4). This
last sense rarely entails an exchanged commodity (# 5).
1. םד֑ ָ ֲע ַבּ וּר ְגּסִיּ ְ ו ַ And they shut (the door of the tower) behind them.
2.
וֹד ֲע ַב תָּ ְכ ַשׂ ֫ תָּ א־אֹ ַ ל ֲ
3. ד ַע ְבּ לבֶ חֶ֫ ַבּ םדֵ ִ
4.
רוֹתּוַ ןוֹ ֑לּחַ ה ַ
ךָדְ ַע ַבּ ל ֵלּ ַפּתִי ְ ְ
5. לֹכו ְ רוֹע־ד ַע ְבּ רוֹע
ד ַע ְבּ ןתִּי ֵ שׁיאִ ָל ר ֶשׁ אֲ
׃וֹשׁפְ ַנ
11.2.8 ן ַעַי ֫
Judg 9:51
ה Have you not put a hedge around him?
Job 1:10
She let them down by a rope through the window.
Josh 2:15
ו He will pray for you.
Gen 20:7
Skin for skin! A person will give up everything for his
life!
Job 2:4
a This word is more often used as a conjunction than as a preposition. As a preposition
with the sense ‘because of,’ it governs an infinitive construct (36.2.2b) 48 more often
than another nominal form (# 1).
1. ׃ךְִיתֹב ָ֫
ֲעוֹתּ־ל ָכּ ן ַע֫ ַי because of all your abominable acts
11.2.9 ְכּ
Ezek 5:9
47 See 2 Sam 20:21 for the sense ‘over,’viz., a wall.
48 See, e.g., 1 Kgs 21:20.