An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

ידַּ ַשׁ לאֵ Ruling (?) God
14.
Certain cosmological elements (## 15–17) and earthly institutions (# 18) are also
treated in this way.
15.
לבֵ תּ ֵ The World, Landmass
16.
םוֹהתּ ְ The Abyss, Deep
לוֹא ְשׁ The Grave
ד ֵעֹמ להֶ ֫
17.
18.
ֹא The Tent of Meeting
Many earthly place names, for the same reason, lack the article, even if formed
with common nouns (## 19–22).
19. סבוֹכ ֵ הדֵ ְשׂ Fuller’s Field
20.
21.
22.
24.
Isa 7:3, 36:2
םיפֹצ ִ הדֵ ְשׂ Watcher’s Field
Num 23:14
ידִ גּ־ןי ֶ֫
ֵע Kid’s Spring
1 Sam 24:1
שׁמֶ ֶשׁ ֫ ןי ֵע Sun Spring
Josh 15:7
Often certain titles are taken as unique (## 23–24).
23.
א ָב ָצ־ר ַשׂ 6
Chief of the Army
םיחִ ָבּט־ב ַ ַ
2 Sam 2:8, 19:14; 1 Kgs 16:16
ר Captain of the Guard 7
2 Kgs 25:8, Jer 39:9
c The construct relation usually carries definiteness over from the genitive to the
construct: thus, the construct is usually definite if the following genitive is definite as
a name (# 25), a pronoun (# 26), a unique appellative (# 27), or because of the article
(# 28–29).
25.
26.
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27.
28.
ימִ ֳענ ָ שׁיא ִ the husband of Naomi
הּ ָשׁי ִ
Ruth 1:3
א her husband
Gen 3:6
םוֹהת ְ ינֵ ְפּ the face of the Abyss
Gen 1:2
םִימָּ ֫ ה ַ ינֵ ְפּ the face of the water
6 Cf. śr˓-˒hṣb˒ in 1 Sam 17:55, Dan 8:11.
7 Cf. śr hṭbḥym in Gen 37:36. 39:1.