An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

רוֹאה־ת ָ א ֶ
Gen 1:3–4
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This usage is weakly demonstrative. A close parallel to # 5 actually uses a
demonstrative.
7. . ץוּע־ץרֶ א֫ ֶ ְב הָיה ָ שׁיאִ אוּהה ַ שׁיאִ ה ָ הָיהָ וְ
. .
ר ָשָׁי וְ
םתָּ There was a man in the land of Uz…and that man was
pure and upright.
Job 1:1
Particular reference may also be cataphoric, that is, restricted by what follows; this
usage is discussed in 13.5.2d.
e The article may also mark nouns definite in the imagination, designating either a
particular person or thing necessarily understood to be present or vividly portraying
someone or something whose identity is not otherwise indicated. For a person or thing
understood to be present, the English language often also uses the article.
9.
10.
12.
8. שׁאֵ ה־ת ָ א ֶ וֹדָיבּ ְ חקִּיּ ַ וַ
תלֶ כ֑ ֶ֫
אֲ ַמּ ה־ת ַ אֶ וְ
תקֶ ֹשּׁ֫ ה־ל ַ א ֶ הּדָּ ַכּ ר ַעתּ ְ ַ
תדֶ ֶלַּי ֫ מְ ה ַ הּ ָל ר ֶמאֹ תּ֫ ַ
And he took in his hand the fire and the knife.
Gen 22:6
ו And she emptied her jar into the trough.
Gen 24:20
ו And the midwife said to her…
Gen 35:17; cf. 38:28
At other times English idiom prefers the personal pronoun. 8
11. רוֹנּ ִכּה־ת ַ א ֶ דוִ דּ ָ חקַ ָלוְ David would take his harp.
13. ַ
15.
ףי ִע ָצּה ַ חקַּ תִּ ַ
1 Sam 16:23
ו So she took her veil.
Gen 24:65
׃ל ָמ ָגּה ל ַע ֵמ לֹפּתִּ וַ
She alighted from her camel.
Gen 24:64
In some cases the proper English rendering is indefinite. 9
14. ׃םתֹני ָ בּ ֵ ץי ִל ֵמּ הַ An interpreter was between them.
ר ַענּ ַ֫
ה־ל ַ א ֶ ןתִּ ֵ יּ ַ
Gen 42:23
ו He gave (it) to a servant.
Gen 18:7
8 English usage, cited here for comparative purposes, is itself tremendously variable;
cf., ea., hammiṭṭâ ‘the/his bed’ in Gen 47:31. hakkissē˒ ‘the/ his throne’ in Judg 3:20.
9 And in some cases the English rendering is open to discussion: a fluent or slightly
informal narrative style allows for more situationally understood definite articles.