An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

predicate; see 8.4.) A noun clause is often prefaced by יכּ, רשׁא,or (in the accusative
case frame) תא; those clauses preceded by יכּ or רשׁא are often called “‘that’
clauses” (since the particle involved is often translated ‘that’), while many noun
clauses are called “object clauses.”
b In a nominative ease frame, a clause can serve as the subject of a main clause (## 1,
3–4) or as a predicate nominative (# 2). The noun clause can be an infinitive construct
(often with ל; # 1), an רשׁא clause (## 2–3), or a יכּ clause (# 4); a clause in
apposition is usually asyndetic (# 5). The noun clause may be masculine (## 2–5) or
feminine (# 1).
2.
3.
1. התְי ָ ה ָ הוהי תאֵ ֵמ י ִכּ
ם ָבּ ל־ת ִ א ֶ קזֵּ חַ ְל
הּתֹא ֑ ָ ה ֶשׂ ֲעתּ ַ ר ֶשׁ א ֲ הזֶ ְ
From YHWH was the hardening (of) their heart.
Josh 11:20
ו This is how you are to build it.
Gen 6:15
רֹדּ֑ ת־אֹ ִ ל ר ֶשׁ א ֲ בוֹט Better that you do not vow than…(lit., it is better that
4. ט ַל ְמ ִנ־י ִכּ דגַּ ה ֻ לוּא ָשׁ ְלוּ
ה ָלי ִע ְקּ ִמ דו ִדָּ
5. ר ָבדּ ָ ה ַ ןוֹכ ָנ ת ֶמ א ֱ ה ֵנּהִ וְ
ה ָב ֵעוֹתּה ַ התָ ְשׂ ֱענ ֶ
תאֹ זּה ַ
you do not vow than…).
Qoh 5:4
That David had left Keilah was told to Saul (lit., it was
told Saul that David…).
1 Sam 23:13
If the matter is established as true that this detestable
thing was done… 35
Deut 13:15
[Page 645] c A noun clause may occur after a noun in the construct, that is, in a
genitive frame. The clause may be introduced by רשׁא (## 6–7) or it may be
asyndetic (## 8–9). 36 Similarly, a noun clause can follow a preposition, with רשׁא (#
10) or without it (## 11–12).
6. םוֹק ְמ רהַ ֹסּ֫ ה ַ תיבּ־ל ֵ אֶ
ךְ ֶל ֶמּ ֫ ה ַ ירי ֵ סִ א־ר ֲ ֶשׁ אֲ
to the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were
confined
35
The subject is hdbr and the clause n˓šth htw˓bh hz˒t is in apposition to it. Cf. also Ps
99:4, also a verbless main clause, with the dependent clause mšpṭ ˒hb, ‘He loves
justice.’ Note also zmty bl y˓br py, ‘I have resolved: my mouth will not transgress’ (Ps
17:3).
36
Note also ˓m hyšr hwlk ‘with he who behaves uprightly’ (Mic 2:7), where hyšr is an
adverbial accusative governed by the participle hwlk. The doubts expressed by L. H.
Glinert about this use of clauses after a construct are overstated see “The Preposition
in Biblical and Modern Hebrew,” Hebrew Studies 23 (1982) 115–25, at 120.