JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 1 ו י ה י ב ימ י ש פ ט ה ש פ ט ים ו י ה י ר ע ב ב א ר ץ ו י ל ך א יש מ ב ית ל ח ם י ה וד ה ל ג ור ב ש

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1 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 1 ו י ה י ב ימ י ש פ ט ה ש פ ט ים ו י ה י ר ע ב ב א ר ץ ו י ל ך א יש מ ב ית ל ח ם י ה וד ה ל ג ור ב ש ד י מ וא ב ה וא ו א ש ת ו היה = ו י ה י QIwc3ms ב ימ י in days of. The Tsere-Yod at the end of the word indicates that the word is in the construct state, probably MP. שפט = ש פ ט Q (ב This could also be QM2ms, but Q fits the context (a temporal clause that begins with 1:1 וש נ י ב נ יו שפט = ה ש פ ט ים QPtMP+article V1 = Holem, so this is QPt. The participle is acting substantivally because there is no MP noun around for it to modify. הלך = ו י ל ך QIwc3ms VP = Tsere indicates 1Yod in the QI. הלך thinks it is 1Yod. ל+ Q ג ור = ל ג ור The only verb forms that can be the object of a preposition (e.g., (ל are and Pt Biconsonantal verbs keep their lexical vowel in the QI, QM, and Q, so it can t be Pt ו י ל ך The indicates the purpose for which And it was in the days of the judges judging. And it was a famine in the land. And a man went from Bethlehem of Judah to sojourn in fields of Moab, he and his wife and the two of his sons. In the days when the judges judges, there was a famine in the land, and a man left Bethlehem of Judah to sojourn in Moab he, his wife, and his two sons.

2 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 2 1:2 ו ש ם ה א יש א ל ימ ל ך ו ש ם א ש ת ו נ ע מ י ו ש ם ש נ י ב נ יו מ ח ל ון ו כ ל י ון א פ ר ת ים מ ב ית ל ח ם י ה וד ה ו י ב א ו ש ד י מ וא ב ו י ה י ו ש ם ו ש ם A clause that begins with Waw on a non-verb is an offline clause or a disjunctive clause because it indicates something other than simply the next event in the narrative. This particular offline clause is supplemental; it gives background information, like a parenthetical statement in an English narrative. ה א יש The article indicates that this is the man who was previously mentioned (verse 1). This is called the anaphoric use of the article (WHS 83). א ל ימ ל ך נ ע מ י The name א ל ימ ל ך ("Elimelech") means "My God [is] king." From the NET Bible: The name Naomi י),נ ע מ na'omi) is from the adjective נע ם (noam, "pleasant, lovely") and literally means "my pleasant one" or "my lovely one." מ ח ל ון ו כ ל י ון From the NET Bible: The name Mahlon ח ל ון),מ makhlon) is from מ ל ה (malah, "to be weak, sick"). From the NET Bible: The name Kilion לי ון),כ khilyon) is from כ ל ה (khalah, "to be frail"). א פ ר ת ים This means that they are from the clan of Ephrath. ב וא = ו י ב א ו QIwc3mp ו indicates that this is Iwc and that the Yod is the imperfect preformative, not a root consonant. VP = Qamets, which indicates a biconsonantal verb in the Qal or Hiphil Imperfect. VS = Holem, so this is Qal, not Hiphil. Hiphil would have Hireq-Yod. היה = ו י ה י ו QIwc3mp And the name of the man Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi and the name of the two of his sons Mahlon and Kilion. Ephrathites from Behlehem of Judah. And they entered the fields of Moab and they were there. The man s name was Elimelech. His wife s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehm of Judah. The went into the country of Moab and settled there.

3 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 3 ו י מ ת QIwc3ms מ ות = 1:3 ו י מ ת א ל ימ ל ך א יש נ ע מ י ו ת ש א ר ה יא וש נ י ב נ יה.מ ות verb, so the root is (י/ו- 2 Because VP =, we know that it is a Qal hollow (aka biconsonantal or The last syllable is closed and unaccented, so the in מ ת is Qamets Hatuf, not Qamets. The change in vowel (from י מ ות in the Imperfect) is due to the accent shift with the Imperfect Waw Consecutive 3ms. Biconsonantal verbs keep their lexical vowel in the QI, QM, and Q, but they don t necessarily keep their lexical vowel in the QIwc..א ל ימ ל ך is in apposition to א יש Because one of the terms is the name of the other, this is explicative apposition (WHS 70). שאר = ו ת ש א ר NIwc3ms ת We know it is Niphal because it begins וש נ י ב נ יה and two of her sons and her two sons And Elimelech, the man of Naomi, died. And she was left and her two sons. Then Naomi s husband Elimelech died, and she and her two sons were left alone. ו י ש א ו ל ה ם נ ש ים מ א ב י ות ש ם ה א ח ת ע ר פ ה ו ש ם ה ש נ ית ר ות ו י ש ב ו ש ם כ ע ש ר ש נ ים נשא = ו י ש א ו QIwc3ms The Dagesh Forte from the assimilated Nun was lost because ש is a SQiN em LeVY consonant with a Shewa. נ ש ים is the direct object of the verb ש א ו.ו י It lacks ת because it is indefinite. ות is FP because it ends in מ א ב י ות ע ר פ ה ר ות The ending י ות is a FP gentilic ending, indicating FP members of a people group. From the NET Bible: The name Orpah פ ה),ע ר 'orpah ) is from the noun ע ר ף ('oref, "back of the neck") and the related verb ("to turn one's back"). From the NET Bible: The name Ruth,ר ות) rut) is from the noun רע ות (r'ut, "friendship"), derived from the root ר ע (rea', "friend, companion"). Since the names of Ruth and Orpah (as well as Mahlon and Kilion) seem to mirror the most definitive action of these women, perhaps they are nick names rather than their original birth names. ישב = ו י ש ב ו QIwc3mp VP = Tsere, so this is a 1Yod verb in the QI. And they lifted to themselves wives, Moabitesses. The name of the one Orpah. And the name of the second Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years. Then they married Moabite women. (One was named Orpah and the other was named Ruth). And they lived there about ten years. 1:4

4 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 4 ו י מ ות ו ג ם ש נ יה ם מ ח ל ון ו כ ל י ון ו ת ש א ר ה א ש ה מ ש נ י י ל ד יה ומ א יש ה ו י מ ות ו ו indicates that this is Iwc and that the Yod is the imperfect preformative, not a root consonant. VP = Qamets, indicating that this is a biconsonantal verb in the Qal or Hiphil Imperfect. VS = Shureq, so this has to be Qal rather than Hiphil. The Hiphil would have VS = Hireq-Yod. ש נ י ם = ש נ יה ם M Dual + 3mp (type 2). מ ח ל ון ו כ ל י ון It is in apposition to Because one of the (sets of) terms is the name of the other, this is explicative apposition (WHS 70). י ל ד = י ל ד יה MS + 3fs (type 2) her sons And they died also their two Mahlon and Kilion. And the woman was left from the two of her soms and from her man. And then both Mahlon and Kilion died, so the woman was left without her two sons or her husband. 1:5

5 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 5 1:6 ו ת ק ם ה יא ו כ לת יה ו ת ש ב מ ש ד י מ ו א ב כ י ש מ ע ה ב ש ד ה מ וא ב כ י פ ק ד י הו ה א ת ע מ ו ל ת ת ל ה ם ל ח ם ק ום = ו ת ק ם QIwc3fs VP = Qamets, so it is a biconsonantal verb in either the QIwc or the HIwc. VS is not Hireq-Yod, so it is not Hiphil. Therefore it is Qal. It has Qamets Hatuf in the last syllable, just like ו י מ ת in 1:3. Shureq shifts to Qamets Hatuf for biconsonantal verbs in the QIwc singular when the accent shifts to VP. The verb is singular even though the subject seems to be plural (Naomi and her daughters-in-law). When the verb precedes a compound subject, the verb is usually singular (WHS 230). כ ל ה + ו = ו כ לת יה (fp) + 3fs type 2 pronominal suffix We know it is feminine plural because the pronominal suffix is type 2 (it begins with vowel + Yod that is not Hireq-Yod). ). ת (spelled defectively as ות We also know it is feminine plural because it has the FP ending ש וב = ו ת ש ב QIwc3fs Same comments as ק ם,ו ת above. שמע = ש מ ע ה QP3fs The perfect verb is functioning as a pluperfect verb she had heard (WHS 162(3)) because it precedes the main verb ו ת ש ב she returned, which is also past. כ י ש מ ע ה begins a causal clause (WHS 533). פקד = פ ק ד QP3ms begins a direct object clause (WHS 490). The entire clause is the content of what Naomi had כ י פ ק ד ש מ ע ה heard, so it is the direct object of the verb The perfect verb is functioning as a pluperfect verb she had heard (WHS 162(3)) because it precedes the verb ש מ ע ה she heard, which is also past. ל+ Q נתן = ל ת ת R1 (Nun) dropped out because in the Q, 1-Nun and 1-Yod verbs usually drop R1 The Taw at the end is there because when 1Nun and 1Yod verbs drop the 1Nun or 1Yod in the Q, they add Taw at the end. R3 (Nun) dropped out because it assimilated to the final Taw, becoming a Dagesh Forte. But then the Dagesh Forte in the final Taw dropped out because it did not have a vowel after it, and it is impossible to double a consonant if there is no vowel after it. פקד is likely used to explain what it means that YHWH ל The infinitive construct with prefixed visited his people (WHS 195), so it should be translated by giving. It is also possible that the with prefixed ל gives the purpose for which YHWH פקד visited his people (WHS 197). This would lead to a translation like to give them food. She and her daughters-in-law arose. And she returned from the fields of Moab because she heard in the fields of Moab that YHWH had visited his people to give to them food. She arose, along with her daughters-in-law, in order to return from Moab because she had heard in Moab that YHWH had taken action for his people by giving them food.

6 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 6 ו ת צ א מ ן ה מ ק ום א ש ר ה י ת ה ש מ ה וש ת י כ לת יה ע מ ה ו ת ל כ נ ה ב ד ר ך ל ש וב א ל א ר ץ י ה וד ה יצא = ו ת צ א QIwc3fs We know it is QIwc from a 1-Yod root because VP = Tsere. היה = ה י ת ה QP3fs This looks like the QP3fs of,הית but ה 3 verbs take ending ת ה in the P3fs. The perfect verb indicates a past state (WHS 161).. ה. We know it is the directional suffix because it is unaccented ה with the directional suffix ש ם is ש מ ה.ע is with her not her people because it has a Hireq under the ע מ ה הלך = ו ת ל כ נ ה QIwc3fp. We know it is 1-Yod הלך) acts like 1-Yod) because VP = Tsere. ל+ Q ש וב = ל ש וב This infinitive construct with prefixed ל indicates the purpose or goal toward which they ו ת ל כ נ ה (WHS 197). And she set out from the place which she was there, and the two of her daughters-in-law with her. And they went in the way to return to the land of Judah. Then she set out from the place where she was, along with her two daugthers-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 1:7

7 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 7 ו ת אמ ר נ ע מ י ל ש ת י כ לת יה ל כ נ ה ש ב נ ה א ש ה ל ב ית א מ ה (י ע ש ה) [י ע ש] י הו ה ע מ כ ם ח ס ד כ א ש ר אמר = ו ת אמ ר QIwc3fs VP = Holem and R1 is quiescent Aleph because this is an Angry Baker א 1 verb in the QI. 1:8 ע ש ית ם ע ם ה מ ת ים ו ע מ ד י הלך = ל כ נ ה QM2fp הלך acts like 1-Yod in the Qal and Hiphil. 1-Yod and 1-Nun verbs usually drop the 1-Yod or 1-Nun in the Qal imperative. This imperative gives a command (WHS 188). The two imperatives without a Waw to connect them form a verb hendiadys (WHS 225), go back. ש וב = ש ב נ ה QM2fp. Biconsonantal verbs with lexical vowel Shureq change VS to Holem in the QM2fp. The Dagesh Forte in the Shin may be because the two verbs are closely tied together, forming a verbal hendiadys. This imperative gives a command (WHS 188). The two imperatives without a Waw to connect them form a verb hendiadys (WHS 225), go back. א ש ה means each here. WHS 131 י ע ש = י ע שה (Qere) = עשה QJ3ms This is a Kethib-Qere form..י ע ש ה presumably,יעשה The Kethib is Since it is jussive in meaning, the Qere corrects this to the shortened jussive form ה 3.י ע ש verbs end in ה in the imperfect when there is no sufformative or pronominal suffix, but the ה is absent in the jussive. ע מ כ ם uses the 2mp to refer to the 2fp. This happens often. עשה = ע ש ית ם QP2mp Because there is vowel+yod between the second root consonant and a sufformative that begins with a consonant (and R3 is missing), this is likely to be a ה 3 verb. ע ש ית ם uses the 2mp to refer to the 2fp. This happens often. WHS 234a. מ ות = ה מ ת ים QPtMP+article ו ע מ ד י VS = Tsere because מ ות is a biconsontal Tsere stative verb. ע מ ד is an alternate form of אם that is used with pronominal suffixes. And Naomi said to the two of her daughters-in-law, Go! Return a woman to the house of her mother. May YHWH do with you loyalty as you did with the dead and with me. Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go, each of you return to her mother s house. May YHWH treat you with covenant loyalty as you have done with the dead and with me.

8 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 8 נתן = י ת ן QJ3ms י ת ן י הו ה ל כ ם ומ צ אן מ נ וח ה א ש ה ב ית א יש ה ו ת ש ק ל ה ן ו ת ש אנ ה ק ול ן ו ת ב כ ינ ה The Dagesh Forte in the Taw can be explained by a 1Nun that assimilated: י נ ת ן* ן,י ת which then fits the Qal. נתן The stem vowel is a peculiarity of the verb The verb is jussive because a wish ( may YHWH grant ) fits the context. We should also expect it to be jussive because it is first in its clause. ל כ ם uses a 2mp pronominal suffix to refer to a 2fp antecedant. This is common. ו+ QM2fp מצא = ומ צ אן We expect צ אנ ה, ומ but the final ה is written defectively. The imperative with prefixed Waw typically indicates purpose (WHS 181a, 189). מ נ וח ה rest means security in this context. ב ית is functioning as an accusative of place (WHS 54b), so we add the word in in translation in the house of her husband. א ש ה means each here. WHS 131 נשק = ו ת ש ק QIwc3fs The Dagesh Forte in the Shin can be explained by a 1Nun that assimilated: ו ת ש ק נ ש ק*,ו ת which fits the QIwc3fs. This is not Niphal beause if it were Niphal, the vowel under the Shin would be Qamets, not Pathach. נשא = ו ת ש אנ ה QIwc3fp The Dagesh Forte in the Sin can be explained by a 1Nun that assimilated: ו ת ש אנ ה נ ש אנ ה*,ו ת which fits the Qal. בכה = ו ת ב כ ינ ה QIwc3fp Because there is vowel+yod between the second root consonant and a sufformative that begins with a consonant (and R3 is missing), this is likely to be a ה 3 verb. May YHWH give to you and find rest a woman house of her husband. And she kissed to them and they lifted their voice and they wept. May YHWH grant that you find rest, each in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. Note that a woman in that society needed a husband as a source of economic security. 1:9

9 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 9 אמר = ו ת אמ ר נ ה QIwc3fp 1:10 ו ת אמ ר נ ה ל ה כ י א ת ך נ ש וב ל ע מ ך VP = Holem and R1 is quiescent Aleph because this is an Angry Baker א 1 verb in the QI. Here כ י means No! But instead. See Williams א ת = א ת ך 2fs.א is with you not you because it has Hireq under the א ת ש וב = נ ש וב QI1cp VP = Qamets is usually a biconsonantal verb in the QI or HI. VS is the lexical vowel, so it is Qal. VS is not Hireq-Yod, so it is not Hiphil. The imperfect verb may be future (WHS 167(3)) we will return, or it may indicate their desire (WHS 170) we want to return. ל ע מ ך is to your people not to you because it does not have Hireq under the.ע Contrast with ע מ ה in 1:7. And they said to her, that with you will will return to your people. And they said to her, No! We will return with you to your people.

10 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 10 ו ת אמ ר נ ע מ י ש ב נ ה ב נ ת י ל מ ה ת ל כ נ ה ע מ י ה ע וד ל י ב נ ים ב מ ע י ו ה י ו ל כ ם ל א נ ש ים ש וב = ש ב נ ה QM2fp Biconsonantal verbs with lexical vowel Shureq change VS to Holem in the QM2fp. ב ת = ב נ ת י FP + (ב נ ות) 1cs type 2 = my daughters This is functioning as a vocative (WHS 34). A vocative is very common immediately after an imperative. הלך = ת ל כ נ ה QI2fp הלך thinks it is 1Yod in the Qal. 1Yod verbs drop 1Yod in the QI and take VP = Tsere or Hireq Yod. The imperfect may be indicating a present-time incomplete action (WHS 167(1)) why are you coming?, a desire (WHS 171) why do you want to come?, or obligation (WHS 172) why should you come? ע וד = ה ע וד + interrogative particle ה ע וד ל י ב נ ים (lit. still to me sons? ) means Do I still have sons?. ל with a pronominal suffix (perhaps preceded by,י ש see י ש ל י in 1:12) is a common idiom to indicate possession. מ ע ה + ב = ב מ ע י (mp) + 1cs type 2 pronominal suffix. The pronominal suffix is type 2 because it begins with vowel+yod that is not Hireq-Yod. The type 2 pronominal suffix indicates that the noun is plural. היה = ו ה י ו QPwc3mp ל כ ם uses a 2mp pronominal suffix to refer to a 2fp antecedant. This is common. And Naomi said, Turn back, my daughters! Why will you go with me? Still to me sons in my inner parts and they will become to you to men? But Naomi said, Turn back, my daughters! Why would you come with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they could become your husbands? Naomi s questions are rhetorical, meaning that she is not asking for information; instead she is making statements in the form of questions: Don t go with me! I don t still have sons in my womb that they could become your husbands. Naomi s last rhetorical question assumes the existance of the institution of leverite marriage: a brother was obligated to marry his dead brother s wife as a way of providing for the widow and carrying on the name of the dead brother. It also assumes the cultural reality that a woman needed and wanted a husband in that society. 1:11

11 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 11 ש ב נ ה ב נ ת י ל כ ן כ י ז ק נ ת י מ ה י ות ל א יש כ י א מ ר ת י י ש ל י ת ק ו ה ג ם ה י ית י ה ל י ל ה ל א יש ו ג ם י ל ד ת י ש וב = ש ב נ ה QM2fp Biconsonantal verbs with lexical vowel Shureq change VS to Holem in the QM2fp. הלך = ל כ ן QM2fp Hiphil. thinks it is 1Yod in the Qal and הלך 1Yod and 1Nun verbs drop R1 in the QM. We expect the spelling כ נ ה,ל but the final vowel letter ה is written defectively. כ י ז ק נ ת י begins a causal clause (WHS 533). 1:12 ב נ ים זקן = ז ק נ ת י QP1cs This is a stative verb (WHS 161), so the perfect is translated I am old rather than I was old מ ן+ Q היה = מ ה י ות ה 3 verbs take ending ות in the This is the absolute comparative use of מ ן too old to (WHS 318) אמר = א מ ר ת י QP1cs י ש ל י (lit. there is to me ) means I have. See the note on ה ע וד ל י ב נ ים in 1:11. היה = ה י ית י QP1cs Because a root consonant is missing and there is vowel+yod between the last root consonant and a sufformative that begins with a consonant, this is likely to be a ה 3 verb. ילד = י ל ד ת י QP1cs Return, my daughters! Go! For I am old from to become to a man. That I said there is to me hope, even I became the night to a man and also I bore sons, Go back, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to become a man s [wife]. Even if I were to say that I had hope, even if I were to become a man s [wife] tonight and even if I gave birth to sons,

12 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 12 ה ל ה ן ת ש ב ר נ ה ע ד א ש ר י ג ד ל ו ה ל ה ן ת ע ג נ ה ל ב ל ת י ה י ות ל א יש א ל ב נ ת י כ י מ ר ל י מ א ד מ כ ם כ י ה ל ה ן is the interrogative particle + ה ן.ל This is typically translated as therefore?. 1:13 י צ א ה ב י י ד י הו ה שבר = ת ש ב ר נ ה DI2fp גדל = י ג ד ל ו QI3mp גדל is a stative verb, so we expect VS = Pathach in the QI. VS is Qamets instead of Pathach because it is a pausal form (note the Zaqef Qaton accent). עגן = ת ע ג נ ה NI2fp Taw is the imperfect preformative, with VP = Tsere and V1 = Qamets and R1 = Guttural (or Resh), this can be explained as a Niphal ( (ת where the guttural rejects the Dagesh Forte and VP = Hireq lengthens from Hireq to Tsere due to compensatory lengthening. The verbal root is a hapax legomenon, meaning that it occurs nowhere else in the Bible. It is clearly a NI2fp, but from what root? Holladay, HALOT, and BDB all list it as coming from,עגן although the evidence for the final Nun from cognate languages is scant. If it is 3-Nun, then it is unclear why it lacks a Dagesh Forte in the Nun from R3 assimilating to the sufformative.נ ה Nevertheless, the only other NP(2/3)fp in the Bible from a 3- Nun root is ת א מ נ ה in Isa 60:4, also lacks a Dagesh Forte in the Nun. The alternative is to suppose that it is from a 3-He root, but the 9 such occurrences of such forms in the Bible all have the expected י before the,נ ה so a 3-He root is unlikely. היה = ה י ות Q ה 3 verbs have ending ות in the כ י מ ר ל י מ א ד מ כ ם כ י י צ א ה ב י י ד י הו ה The meaning of this phrase is uncertain. A straightforward translation (taking the מ ן as comparative, WHS 317) is For it is more bitter for me than for you that (or because ) YHWH s hand has gone forth against me. The problem with this is that it does not fit the context; why would Naomi tell her daughters-in-law that it is more bitter for her than for them? An alternative is to take the מ ן as an absolute comparative (WHS 318), For it is very bitter to me too much for you. A third alternative is adopted by the ESV for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me. This interprets מ ן as because of (WHS 319). מרר = מ ר QP3ms.מ ר This is geminate. If it were biconsonantal, it would be The perfect has stative force here ( it is bitter ; WHS 161). מ כ ם uses a 2mp pronominal suffix to refer to a 2fp antecedant. This is common. יצא = י צ א ה QP3ms This is the perfect use of the Perfect; it indicates a present state resulting from a previously completed action (WHS 162(2)). ב י This is the adversative use of ב (WHS 242) therefore will you wait until which they will grow? Therefore will you be withdrawn not to be to a man? No, my daughters, for it is bitter to me very from you that the hand of YHWH went out in me. would you therefore wait until they grew up? Would you therefore remain unmarried? No, my daughters! For my bitter situation is too much for you, for YHWH s hand has gone forth against me.

13 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 13 ו ת ש נ ה ק ול ן ו ת ב כ ינ ה ע וד ו ת ש ק ע ר פ ה ל ח מ ות ה ו ר ות ד ב ק ה ב ה נשא = ו ת ש נ ה QIwc3fp ו ת נ ש נ ה* ו ת ש נ ה assimilated: The Dagesh Forte in the Sin can be explained as a 1Nun that The quiescent א dropped out. We can tell that something weird happened because the finite verb sufformative is not preceded by a Shewa. בכה = ו ת ב כ ינ ה QIwc3fp The fact that it is missing a root consonant and there is Vowel+Yod before the sufformative (which ה 3 begins with a consonant) suggests that the missing root consonant is נשק = ו ת ש ק QIwc3fs The Dagesh Forte in the Shin can be explained by a 1Nun that assimilated: ו ת ש ק נ ש ק*,ו ת which fits the QIwc3fs. This is not Niphal beause if it were Niphal, the vowel under the Shin would be Qamets, not Pathach. + חמ ות + ל = ל ח מ ות ה 3fs type 1 pronominal suffix ו ר ות A clause that begins with Waw on a non-verb is disjunctive. The switch from Orpah to Ruth, with their opposite actions, indicates that this is the adversative use of Waw (WHS 432), indicating a strong contrast between Orpah and Ruth. דבק = ד ב ק ה QP3fs And they lifted up their voice and they wept again. And Orpah kissed to her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung in her. They lifted up their voices and wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. ו ת אמ ר ה נ ה ש ב ה י ב מ ת ך א ל ע מ ה ו א ל א לה יה ש וב י א ח ר י י ב מ ת ך ש וב = ש ב ה QP3fs The accent is on the.ש Therefore it is a finite verb, and ש has the stem vowel. Therefore ש is R2, or if it is biconsonantal, ש is R1 If it were a ה 3 verb, the accent would be on the,ב because ב would be R2 and have the stem vowel. The principle is that finite verbs accent the stem vowel (unless there is a heavy sufformative, or a pronominal suffix, or ), whereas Participles do not. + י ב מ ה = י ב מ ת ך 2fs type 1 pronominal suffix = your husband s brother s widow The ת sufformative indicates that the noun is feminine. ע מ ה is her people not with her because it does not have Hireq under the Ayin. ש וב = ש וב י QM2fs And she said, Behold, your husband s brother s widow has returned to her people and to her gods. Return after your husband s brother s widow. Naomi said, Look, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and her gods. Return after your sister-inlaw. 1:14 1:15

14 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 14 ו ת אמ ר ר ות א ל ת פ ג ע י ב י ל ע ז ב ך ל ש וב מ א ח ר י ך כ י א ל א ש ר ת ל כ י א ל ך וב א ש ר ת ל ינ י א ל ין ע מ ך אמר = ו ת אמ ר QIwc3fs 1:16 ע מ י ו א לה י ך א לה י פגע = ת פ ג ע י QJ2fs א ל Parse as Jussive because it is negated by ב against me. This is the adversative use of ב י = ל ע ז ב ך עזב 2fs +ל+ Q ע ז is Qamets Hatuf followed by Silent Shewa not Qamets followed by Vocal Shewa because it is Q with a pronominal suffix. ל+ Q ש וב = ל ש וב הלך = ת ל כ י QI2fs הלך thinks it is 1Yod, and in the QI, 1Yod drops out and VP is Tsere or Hireq-Yod. א ל ך = QC1cs (or QI1cs) It is first in its clause and a meaning of personal resolve fits, so it is parsed as Cohortative, even though ה it lacks the final ל ין = ת ל ינ י QI2fs VP = Qamets for biconsonantal verbs in the QI or HI. VS = Hireq-Yod could be Hiphil. Since it is the lexical vowel, it could also be Qal. (Biconsonantal verbs keep their lexical vowel in the QI, QM, and Q ) Parse it as Qal because ל ין never occurs in the Hiphil (see the lexicon). ל ין = א ל ין QC1cs (or QI1cs) Same discussion as the previous verb. It is first in its clause and a meaning of personal resolve fits, so it is parsed as Cohortative, even though ה it lacks the final ע מ ך ע מ י is your people my people not with you with me because there is no Hireq under the Ayin. And Ruth said, Do not pressure in me to abandon you, to return from after you, for to which you will go, I shall go and in which you will spend the night, I shall spend the night. Your people my people. Your God my God. And Ruth said, Do not pressure me to leave you [or] to turn back from [following] after you. For wherever you go, I shall go. And wherever you spend the night, I shall spend the night. Your people [shall be] my people. And your God [shall be] my God.

15 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 15 ב א ש ר ת מ ות י א מ ות ו ש ם א ק ב ר כ ה י ע ש ה י הו ה ל י ו כ ה י ס יף כ י ה מ ו ת י פ ר יד ב ינ י וב ינ ך מ ות = ת מ ות י QI2fs VP = Qamets for biconsonantal verbs in the QI or HI. VS = Shureq is the Qal, because biconsonantal verbs keep their lexical vowel in the QI, QM, and Q. מ ות = א מ ות QC1cs Same discussion as the previous verb. It is first in its clause and a meaning of personal resolve fits, so it is parsed as Cohortative, even though ה it lacks the final קבר = א ק ב ר NI1cs כ ה י ע ש ה י הו ה ל י ו כ ה י ס יף thus may YHWH do to me and thus may he add [to it] is a standard oath formula in the Bible. The specific thing that YHWH would do is never mentioned in the Bible, but Ruth is clearly pledging herself to be subject to extreme divine punishment if she breaks her oath. עשה = י ע ש ה QJ3ms A jussive meaning fits ( may YHWH do ), so parse it as jussive, even though it is not first in its clause, and even though it has the ה ending that is usually dropped in the jussive. VP = Pathach is normally Hiphil, but for 1G verbs, it could also be Qal. Normally, one then uses VS to decide if the verb is Qal or Hiphil, but ה 3 verbs take ה at the end when there is no sufformative, and that wipes out the stem vowel, so we have to decide the stem based on the context and the verb. The verb עשה never occurs in the Hiphil (see the lexicon), so it must be Qal. יסף = י ס יף HJ3ms VS = Hireq-Yod, so this has to be Hiphil. (This doesn t fit a Qal Biconsonantal pattern, and there is no (ס יף biconsonantal root VP = Holem. For 1Yod verbs in the Hiphil Imperfect, VP = Holem Waw, so this fits if we assume that the Holem is a defectively written Holem Waw. The context indicates that the meaning is jussive ( may he add ), so we parse it as jussive, even though it does not come first in its clause and even though it is not shortened (We expect VS to shorten to Tsere in the Hiphil Jussive). כ י ה מ ו ת י פ ר יד ב ינ י וב ינ ך is literally that the death will come between me and you. But in this context, where Ruth is making an oath, it should be translated as if anything except. פרד = י פ ר יד HI3ms VP = Pathach and VS = Hireq Yod, so this is Hiphil. In which you will die I will die and there I will be buried. Thus YHWH will do to me and thus he will add that the death will separate between me and between you. In [the place] which you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may YHWH do to me and more if [anything except] death separates me from you. 1:17

16 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 16 ראה = ו ת ר א QIwc3fs ו ת ר א כ י מ ת א מ צ ת ה יא ל ל כ ת א ת ה ו ת ח ד ל ל ד ב ר א ל יה VP = Tsere, so it looks like a 1Yod:.ירא But ירא takes VP = Hireq Yod, so that does not work. When the ה 3 drops off a ה 3 verb in the Iwc, the vowels shift. ו י ר א ה* ר א.ו י That explains V1, but not VP. We would have still expected VP to be Hireq. But VP for ראה in the QIwc often changes to Pathach in the QIwc3ms and in the QIwc(3fs/2ms), it changes to Tsere. אמץ = מ ת א מ צ ת HtPtFS אמץ means to be strong in the Qal, so in the Hithpael, it means to cause oneself to be strong. Here it means that Ruth strengthened her resolve; she was strong in her willpower. ל+ Q הלך = ל ל כ ת הלך thinks it is 1Yod, so in the Q, it drops R1 and adds ת to the end. QIwc3fs חדל = ו ת ח ד ל VP = Seghol is strange, but we are used to א in the QI1cs, you can guess that this is probably a Qal. VS = Pathach is unexpected, since the verb is not 2G, 3G, or stative, but it at least is a stem vowel that we are used to in the Qal. It turns out that חדל tends to use VP = Seghol in the QI, and it has VS = Seghol in the QI. ל+ D דבר = ל ד ב ר And she saw that she strengthened herself to go with her. And she ceased to speak to her. When [Naomi] saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more. Here we have to change idioms. The Hebrew she ceased to speak to her sounds like Naomi was mad at Ruth and giving her the silent treatment. But the context makes it clear that it means that Naomi stopped trying to dissuade Ruth from coming with her. 1:18

17 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 17 ו ת ל כ נ ה ש ת יה ם ע ד ב א נ ה ב ית ל ח ם ו י ה י כ ב א נ ה ב ית ל ח ם ו ת ה ם כ ל ה ע יר ע ל יה ן ו ת אמ ר נ ה ה ז את 1:19 נ ע מ י הלך = ו ת ל כ נ ה QIwc3fp הלך thinks it is 1Yod, so in the QI, it drops R1 and takes VP = Tsere. ב וא = ב א נ ה Q +3fp V1 = Holem looks like a Qal Participle, but biconsonantal verbs use V1 = Qamets in the Qal Participle. Holem is defectively written Holem-Waw, the lexical vowel. Biconsonantal verbs keep their lexical vowel in the QI, QM, and Q. There is no preformative, so it can t be imperfect. An imperative makes no sense in the context, so it must be an infinitive construct. The pronominal suffix נ ה is unusual. We expect the 3fp pronominal suffix to be ן, but 4 times in the. ן instead of נ ה Bible (2 in this verse), the 3fp pronominal suffix on an Infinitive Construct is spelled The pronominal suffix is the subject of the verbal action of the infinitive: their coming = they came היה = ו י ה י QIwc3ms כ+ Q +3fp ב וא = כ ב א נ ה See notes on ב א נ ה earlier in this verse. ה ום = ו ת ה ם NIwc3fs VP = Tsere looks like a 1Yod verb in the QI, but there is no way to explain V1 = Holem in that case. VP = Tsere could also be explained as the NI: * ו ת ה ו ת ה when the 1G rejects Dagesh Forte and causes compensatory lengthening from Hireq to Tsere. V1 = Holem is what biconsonantal verbs take in the NI. We did not study that pattern last year because it is fairly rare (about 70 times in the whole Bible). אמר = ו ת אמ ר נ ה QIwc3fp And their two walked until their coming house of bread. And it was like their coming house of bread and all the city was in an uproar about them. And they said, This Naomi? So the two of them walked until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, all the city was stirred up about them. And the women said, Is this Naomi? אמר = ו ת אמ ר QIwc3fs ו ת אמ ר א ל יה ן א ל ת ק ר אנ ה ל י נ ע מ י ק ר אן ל י מ ר א כ י ה מ ר ש ד י ל י מ א ד קרא = ת ק ר אנ ה QJ2fp א ל Parse as jussive because it is negated by קרא = ק ר אן QM2fp ן is written defectively as נ ה The FP sufformative מרר = ה מ ר HP3ms This is geminate, so it is hard. The preformative ה suggests a Hiphil. VP = Tsere doesn t fit the Hiphil strong verb, but Tsere is closer to Hireq than it is to Pathach, so it is a Hiphil Perfect (Hiphil-Haphil). And she said to them (fp), Do not call to me Naomi. Call to me bitter for Shaddai has made very bitter to me. She replied to them, Do not call me Naomi (sweetie). Call me Mara (bitter), for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 1:20

18 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 18 1:21 א נ י מ ל א ה ה ל כ ת י ו ר יק ם ה ש יב נ י י הו ה ל מ ה ת ק ר אנ ה ל י נ ע מ י ו יהו ה ע נ ה ב י ו ש ד י ה ר ע ל י הלך = ה ל כ ת י QP1cs ש וב = ה ש יב נ י HP3ms+1cs VS = Hireq-Yod, but that is not the lexical vowel, so this is Hiphil. VP = Hateph Seghol. It reduced because it is a biconsonantal verb with a pronominal suffix. But that leaves us wondering, was it Hireq (Perfect) or Pathach (Imperative). If it had been Pathach, we would have expected it to reduce to Hateph Pathach, so it must have been Hireq; hence it is Perfect, not Imperative. קרא = ת ק ר אנ ה QI2fp ת ק ר אנ ה ת ק ר א נ ה* quiesce. Aleph with a Shewa tends to There is often no Dagesh Lene in a word-initial begadkephat when the previous word ends in a vowel. QP3ms ענה = ע נ ה רעע = ה ר ע HP3ms The parsing is just like ה מ ר in 1:20. The preformative ה suggests a Hiphil. VP = Tsere doesn t fit the Hiphil strong verb, but Tsere is closer to Hireq than it is to Pathach, so it is a Hiphil Perfect (Hiphil-Haphil). I full I went out and empty YHWH caused me to return. Why will you call to me Naomi (sweetie) and YHWH answered in me, and Shaddai brought disaster to me? I went away full, and YHWH has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi ( sweetie ), since YHWH has testified against me and the Almighty has brought disaster upon me? When bitter Naomi says that YHWH is bringing her back empty-handed, she is discounting Ruth. Naomi has no idea yet what a blessing Ruth will be to her. Naomi is bitter over the loss of her husband and two sons, but see verse 4:15 where the women of Bethlehem tell Naomi that Ruth is better to her than seven sons!

19 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 19 1:22 ו ת ש ב נ ע מ י ו ר ות ה מ וא ב י ה כ ל ת ה ע מ ה ה ש ב ה מ ש ד י מ וא ב ו ה מ ה ב א ו ב ית ל ח ם ב ת ח ל ת ק צ יר ש ע ר ים ש וב = ו ת ש ב QIwc3fs VP = Qamets, so this is a biconsonantal in either the Qal or the Hiphil. VS isn t Hireq-Yod, so it is Qal. Biconsonantal verbs keep their lexical vowel in the QI, QM, and Q, but this is the QIwc, so they can lose it. In particular, they tend to lose their lexical vowel in the QIwc in the singular. under the ש is in an unaccented closed syllable, so it is Qamets Hatuf. ש וב = ה ש ב ה QPtFS VS = Qamets, so this is QP or QPt. Because the accent is on VS instead of the ending, it should be a finite verb; participles always accent their ending (if they have one). BUT it has an article, so it can t be a finite verb; it has to be a participle. Furthermore, there is no reduced vowel before the sufformative, so it can t be a finite verb. So this is a rare example of a Participle that is accented like a finite verb. The same form reoccurs in 2:6. ו ה מ ה is MP but it refers to Naomi and Ruth. The MP is sometimes used for the FP. Alternately, this may be an archaic dual pronoun that was mispointed as masculine plural. ב וא = ב א ו QP3cp VS = Qamets, so this is QP or QPt. The sufformative ו indicates that this has to be a P3cp. There is no way to get a Shureq at the end of a participle..(ב א ו) QM2mp would have a reduced vowel under the Bet Finite verbs normally have a Shewa before the sufformative, except if the Shewa would go where there is an unchangeable long vowel, ו), ו or,( י or if the Shewa would be V1 of the QP. Since there is no Shewa and V1 isn t unchangeable long, it must be the QP. ש ע ר ים is a plural of a natural product in an unnatural state (WHS 10) because it refers to barley that has been harvested. And Naomi returned and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her. She returned from the fields of Moab. And they came house of bread in beginning of harvest of barley. So Naomi returned, and with her [was] Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the fields of Moab. They left because of a famine. They return to the house of bread because YHWH has given his people bread. And they arrive at the beginning of barley harvest; YHWH has provided for his people. This is a summary of the previous scene. And it transitions to the next scene, which occurs in the process of harvesting barley.

20 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 20 ל א יש ה א יש ג ב ור ח י ל מ מ ש פ ח ת א ל ימ ל ך וש מ ו ב ע ז 2:1 ו ל נ ע מ י ) מ י ד ע) [מ וד ע] ו ל נ ע מ י A clause that starts with a non-verb is disjunctive, meaning that it is something other than simply the next event in the narrative. In this case, this begins a parenthetical statement that gives background information that serves as foreshadowing. מי ד ע This is a Kethiv-Qere. The Kethiv מידע is ידע DpPtMS one being known = friend, which would be vocalized י ד ע.מ The Qere is,מ ודע which is a noun that means relative. Because the plot requires that Boaz be a relative, and this parenthetical statement makes sense as foreshadowing only if it indicates that he is a ralative, the Qere is likely to be the correct reading. Somewhere along the way, someone probably wrote their Waw a little too short and the person who copied the manuscript misinterpreted it as a Yod. וש מ ו ב ע ז This disjunctive clause is part of the preceding parenthetical statement. And to Naomi (Kethiv: a friend) [Qere: a relative] to her man manly of power from the clan of Elimelek and his name Boaz. (Now Naomi had a relative of her husband s, a wealthy man from the clan of Elimelek, and his name was Boaz.)

21 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 21 2:2 ו ת אמ ר ר ות ה מ וא ב י ה א ל נ ע מ י א ל כ ה נ א ה ש ד ה ו א ל ק ט ה ב ש ב ל ים א ח ר א ש ר א מ צ א ח ן ב ע ינ יו ו ת אמ ר ל ה ל כ י ב ת י אמר = ו ת אמ ר QIwc3fs הלך = א ל כ ה נ א QC1cs Four things indicate that this Iwc1cs is cohortative: (1) a cohortative meaning fits in the context see ה (3) it is the first word in its clause, and (4) it ends in,נ א below, (2) it is followed by Naomi s response indicates that this is the use of a cohortative for a request (WHS 185). Some scholars argue that נ א may add to the politeness and be translated please. ו+ DC1cs לקט = ו א ל ק ט ה This is the regular Waw, not the Waw-consecutive, for two reasons: (1) If it were Iwc, the Waw would have Qamets, not Pathach ו א*).(ו א The Pathach is due to the Rule of Shewa (* ו א.(ו א (2) The Perfect and Imperfect are the only Waw-consecutives. There is no Cohortative Waw-consecutive. See the preceding verb for a discussion of this as a cohortative. This is Piel because VP is a reduced vowel and V1is Pathach. The Piel lost the Dagesh Forte in R2 because ק is a SQiN em LeVY consonant with a reduced vowel. ק has a Hateph vowel. It is very rare for a Hateph vowel to be on a non-guttural consonant. We would have expected ק to have a Shewa. The Dagesh Forte in ט is unexpected. The Piel does not put a Dagesh Forte in R3, and we do not get a Dagesh Forte after a reduced vowel. So the Dagesh Forte here is a scribal error. ב ש ב ל ים is the plural of the infamous word ש ב ל ת (Judges 12:6). The ש should have a Dagesh Forte from the article. This is a scribal error. מצא = א מ צ א QI1cs אמר = ו ת אמ ר QIwc3fs הלך = ל כ י QM2fs הלך is 1G but thinks that it is 1Yod. 1Yod and 1Nun verbs lose R1 in the QM and Q. Since Ruth just asked for permission to do so, this is the use of the imperative for permission, not a command. And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, I shall go the field and I shall glean among the ears of grain after whom I will find favor in his eyes. And she said to her, Go, my daughter. Then Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain behind whoever lets me. Naomi replied, You may go, my daughter.

22 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 22 ו ת ל ך ו ת ב וא ו ת ל ק ט ב ש ד ה א ח ר י ה ק צ ר ים ו י ק ר מ ק ר ה ח ל ק ת ה ש ד ה ל ב ע ז א ש ר מ מ ש פ ח ת א ל ימ ל ך הלך = ו ת ל ך QIwc3fs ב וא = ו ת ב וא QIwc3fs VP = Qamets for biconsonantal verbs in the Qal and Hiphil Imperfect. Biconsonantal verbs keep their lexical vowel in the QI, QM, and Q, so this is Qal, not Hiphil. The Hiphil would have VS = Hireq Yod. לקט = ו ת ל ק ט DIwc3fs = ה ק צ ר ים קטר ה+ QPtMP the reapers This is the substantival use of a participle to refer to people who do the action of the verbal root. קרה = ו י ק ר QIwc3ms ו י ק ר מ ק ר ה = her happening happened Because the direct object noun is from the same root as the verb, it is a cognate accusative. (WHS 51) The story strongly implies that God arranged this, so the point of this phrase is not that God wasn t involved. Instead, the point is that Ruth did not intentionally pick out Boaz field. The later narrative indicates that Ruth did not yet know who Boaz is, and he arrived after Ruth. And she went and she came and she gleaned in the field after the harvesters. And her happening happened the portion of the field to Boaz who from the clan of Elimelech. So she set out and came and gleaned in the field after the harvesters. And it just so happened that she was in the portion of the field that belonged to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech. ב וא = ב א QPtMS ו ה נ ה ב ע ז ב א מ ב ית ל ח ם ו י אמ ר ל ק וצ ר ים י הו ה ע מ כ ם ו י אמ ר ו ל ו י ב ר כ ך י הו ה This could be either QP3ms or QPtMS. But since it follows נ ה,ה it is probably a participle. ו ה נ ה ב ע ז ב א = and look! Boaz is coming This is like the use of the historical present in Greek. It portrays a past event as currently happening, from the perspective of the harvesters. אמר = ו י אמ ר QIwc3ms ה+ל+ QPtMP קצר = ל ק וצ ר ים אמר = ו י אמ ר ו QIwc3mp ברך = י ב ר כ ך DJ3ms+2ms Resh rejected the Dagesh Forte in R2 of the Piel, so the preceding vowel had compensatory lengthening (ב ב ( This is jussive because a blessing is a jussive meaning, and because the verb is first in the clause. And look! Boaz coming from Bethlehem! And he said to the reapers, YHWH with you! And they said to him, May YHWH bless you! Now picture this Boaz is coming from Bethlehem! And he said to the harvesters, May YHWH be with you! And they said to him, May YHWH bless you! 2:3 2:4

23 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 23 אמר = ו י אמ ר QIwc3ms ו י אמ ר ב ע ז ל נ ע ר ו ה נ צ ב ע ל ה ק וצ ר ים ל מ י ה נ ע ר ה ה ז את ה+ NPtMS נצב = ה נ צ ב ה+ QPtMP קצר = ה ק וצ ר ים And Boaz said to his young man, the one standing over the harvesters, To whom the young woman the this? And Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the harvesters, Whose young woman is this? ו י ע ן ה נ ע ר ה נ צ ב ע ל ה ק וצ ר ים ו י אמ ר נ ע ר ה מ וא ב י ה ה יא ה ש ב ה ע ם נ ע מ י מ ש ד ה מ וא ב ענה = ו י ע ן QIwc3ms VP = Pathach is only for the Hiphil for strong verbs, but for 1G verbs it could also be Qal. Normally we would use VS to distinguish the Qal and the Hiphil, but this is,ה 3 so the ה 3 wipes out the normal VS, so we need to rely on context. Since he answered makes sense, this is Qal. ה+ NPtMS נצב = ה נ צ ב ה+ QPtMP קצר = ה ק וצ ר ים אמר = ו י אמ ר QIwc3ms ש וב = ה ש ב ה QPtFS VS = Qamets, so this is QP or QPt. Because the accent is on VS instead of the ending, it should be a finite verb; participles always accent their ending (if they have one). BUT it has an article, so it can t be a finite verb; it has to be a participle. Furthermore, there is no reduced vowel before the sufformative, so it can t be a finite verb. This is a rare example of a Participle that is accented like a finite verb. The same form occurred in 1:22. And the young man the one standing over the harvesters answered and he said, The young woman Moabitess she. The one returning with Naomi from the field of Moab. The servant in charge of the harvesters replied, She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from Moab. 2:5 2:6

24 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 24 ו ת אמ ר א ל ק ט ה נ א ו א ס פ ת י ב ע מ ר ים א ח ר י ה ק וצ ר ים ו ת ב וא ו ת ע מ וד מ א ז ה ב ק ר ו ע ד ע ת ה ז ה ש ב ת ה אמר = ו ת אמ ר QIwc3fs 2:7 ה ב י ת מ ע ט לקט = א ל ק ט ה נ א DC1cs This is Piel because VP is a reduced vowel and V1is Pathach. The Piel lost the Dagesh Forte in R2 because ק is a SQiN em LeVY consonant with a reduced vowel. has a Hateph vowel. It is very rare for a Hateph vowel to be on a non-guttural consonant. We would ק have expected ק to have a Shewa. Four things indicate that this Iwc1cs is cohortative: (1) a request (cohortative WHS 185) meaning fits ה (3) it is the first word in its clause, and (4) it ends in,נ א in the context, (2) it is followed by Some scholars argue that נ א may add to the politeness and be translated please. אסף = ו א ס פ ת י QPwc1cs The Pwc continues the meaning of the preceding Cohortative, so it should be translated as a Cohortative. ב ע מ ר ים looks like it has the article, but the Metheg indicates that the initial vowel is Qamets Hatuf, not Qamets, so it does not have the article. ה+ QPtMP קצר = ה ק וצ ר ים ב וא = ו ת ב וא QIwc3fs עמד = ו ת ע מ וד QIwc3fs שבת = ש ב ת ה Q +3fs The spelling Hireq-Shewa is unusual for a Q +pronominal suffix, but it is what we would expect from.(ש ב ת ה) The usual spelling is with Qamets Hatuf as V1.ש ב ת ה ש ב ת ה* Shewa: the rule of The grammar of the second half of the verse is unclear. Here is the discussion in the NET Bible: Heb "and she came and she has persisted." The construction ו ת ב וא ו ת ע מ וד (vattavo' vata'amod) forms a dependent temporal sequence: "since she came, she has persisted." Because has a broad (עמד s.v. HALOT ;ע מ ד s.v. ('amad, "to stand, remain, persist"; BDB 764 ע מ ד range of meanings, ע מ וד hasו ת been understood in various ways: (1) Ruth had stood all morning waiting to receive permission from Boaz to glean in his field: "she has stood (here waiting)"; (2) Ruth had remained in the field all morning: "she has remained here" (NAB, NASB, NCV); and (3) Ruth had worked hard all morning: "she has worked steadily" (REB), "she has been working" (TEV, CEV), "she has been on her feet (all morning)" (JPS, NJPS, NRSV). For discussion, see F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), (zeh, "this") is ז ה Heb "except this." The function and meaning of the demonstrative adjective ז ה ז ה (shivtah, "this her sitting"), suggesting that ש ב ת הwith ז ה difficult: (1) MT accentuation joins 2.a and Josh 9:12). (2) Others ז ה s.v. functions as subject complement (see BDB 261 ש ב ת ה suggest that ז ה functions as an emphasizing adverb of time ("just now"; BDB 261 s.v. 4.h) and connect it with ע ת ה ('attah, "now") to form the idiom ז ה ע ת ה (zeh 'attah, "now, just now"; BDB 261 s.v. 4.h; GKC d; see F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther [WBC], ). The entire line is translated variously: KJV "until now, (+ save ASV) that she tarried a little in the house"; NASB "she has been sitting in the house for a little while"; NIV "except for a short rest in the shelter"; NJPS "she has rested but little in the hut"; "her sitting (= resting) in the house (has only been) for a moment." A paraphrase would be: "She came and has kept at it (= gleaning) from this morning

25 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 25 until now, except for this: She has been sitting in the hut only a little while." The clause as a whole is an exceptive clause: "except for this." And she said, I shall glean and I will gather among ears of grain after the harvesters. And she came and she stood from then the morning and until now this her taking a break the house a little. And she said, Please let me glean and gather among [the] ears of grain after the harvesters. So she came and has continued from the morning until now, except for a short rest in the hut. ו י אמ ר ב ע ז א ל ר ות ה ל וא ש מ ע ת ב ת י א ל ת ל כ י ל ל ק ט ב ש ד ה א ח ר ו ג ם ל א ת ע ב ור י מ ז ה ו כ ה ת ד ב ק ין 2:8 ע ם נ ע ר ת י אמר = ו י אמ ר QIwc3ms שמע = ש מ ע ת QP2fs The Pathach under the ע looks strange, but this is how the QP2fs is spelled for ע/ח 3 verbs. ה ל וא ש מ ע ת The negative question Have you not heard is equivalent to a positive statement, you have heard, which in this context is a gentle urging, Listen carefully. הלך = ת ל כ י QJ2fs א ל This is jussive because it is negated by ל+ Q לקט = ל ל ק ט עבר = ת ע ב ור י QI2fs ת ע ב ור י The Shureq is unexpected. It may be a mispointing of the plene spelling דבק = ת ד ב ק ין QI2fs+Paragogic Nun It is unusual to have a paragogic Nun on a singular imperfect verb (7 times in the Bible, 4 in Ruth). And Boaz said to Ruth, Have you not heard, my daughter? Do not go to glean in another field. And also do not pass over from this. And thus you will stick with my young women. Then Boaz said to Ruth, Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field. And also do not go beyond the border of this [field]. Instead, stick close to my female workers.

26 JCBeckman HebrewSyntax.org Notes on Ruth 26 ע ינ י ך ב ש ד ה א ש ר י ק צ ר ון ו ה ל כ ת א ח ר יה ן ה ל וא צ ו ית י א ת ה נ ע ר ים ל ב ל ת י נ ג ע ך ו צ מ ת ו ה ל כ ת א ל קצר = י ק צ ר ון QI3mp+paragogic Nun 2:9 ה כ ל ים ו ש ת ית מ א ש ר י ש א ב ון ה נ ע ר ים QPwc2fs הלך = ו ה ל כ ת The expected spelling is ה ל כ ת,ו so it looks like one dot from the final Shewa was omitted by accident. צוה = צ ו ית י QP1cs נגע = נ ג ע ך Q +2fs Because this is a Q, V1 is Qamets Hatuf, not Qamets. צמא = ו צ מ ת QPwc2fs ו צ מ א ת The expected spelling is הלך = ו ה ל כ ת QPwc2fs שתה = ו ש ת ית QPwc2fs שאב = י ש א ב ון QI3mp+paragogic Nun Your eyes in the field which they are harvesting and you will go after them (fp). Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And you will be thirsty and you will go to the vessels and you will drink from which the young men have drawn. Keep your eyes on the field that the men are reaping and follow after with the women. I have commanded the young men not to touch you. When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from [the water] which the young men have drawn. ו ת פ ל ע ל פ נ יה ו ת ש ת ח ו א ר צ ה ו ת אמ ר א ל יו מ ד וע מ צ את י ח ן ב ע ינ יך ל ה כ יר נ י ו א נ כ י נ כ ר י ה נפל = ו ת פ ל QIwc3fs חוה = ו ת ש ת ח ו Hishtaphel Iwc3fs The spelling looks weird (we would have expected ש ת ח ו י,(ו ת but it is the usual way that this verb is spelled. R2 is consonantal Waw, but it often turns into Shureq for this verb. This is a way of physically displaying total subsurvience; one can do it in worship of a god or in submission to a ruler, etc. אמר = ו ת אמ ר QIwc3fs מצא = מ צ את י QP1cs = ל ה כ יר נ י נכר 1cs +ל+ H ו א נ כ י and I. The Dagesh in the Aleph seems to be a scribal error. And she fell on her face and she bowed down towards ground. And she said to him, Why have I found favor in your eyes to notice me, and I am a foreigner? Then Ruth fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and she said to him, Why have I found favor in your sight that you would take notice of me, since I am a foreigner? 2:10