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Rule: A noun is definite or specific by 3 means: If it is a proper noun, that is, a name. If it has an attached possessive pronoun like my, his, their, etc. If it has the definite article. 2
As I just mentioned, all names (proper nouns) are definite. Examples of proper nouns: Adam Noah Abraham Jacob David Solomon Elijah א ד ם נ ח א ב ר ה ם י ע ק ב ד ו ד ש מ ל ה ה א מ ל י ה ו 3
As previously mentioned, a noun is definite if it has an attached possessive pronoun called a pronominal suffix. Pronominal suffixes can be attached to: prepositions,,(ה נ ה and א ת particles (like nouns, numbers, verbs Depending on what the are attached to, they can refer to either subjects or objects. At this point, we are interested in them being attached to nouns. 4
Person, Number, Gender 3ms (his) 3fs (her) 2ms (your) 2fs (your) 1cs (my) Pronominal Suffixes for Singular Nouns Singular Pronominal Suffix Person, Number, Gender Plural Pronominal Suffix 3mp (their) ו, ה ו הם, ם, ה ה 3fp (their) ן הן, 2mp (your) כם ך (your) 2fp ך כן 1cp (our) י נ ו 5
ש Definiteness Examples of singular nouns with pronominal suffixes: שהו his name א ה י your (masc. singular) brother א חו ת your (fem. singular) sister of my flesh ה ב רי after their (masc. plural) kind מ ל הי נ הם your (fem. plural) law ו ר ת כן ת our hope ת ק ו ת נ ו 6
Person, Number, Gender 3ms (his) 3fs (her) 2ms (your) 2fs (your) 1cs (my) Pronominal Suffixes for Plural Nouns Singular Pronominal Suffix Person, Number, Gender Plural Pronominal Suffix 3mp (their) יו י הם י ה 3fp (their) י הן י (your) 2mp י כם (your) 2mp י (your) 2fp י כן (your) 2fp 1cp (our) י ו ינ 7
suffixes. (yod) is the marker for plural pronominal י Examples of singular nouns with pronominal suffixes: my offerings ה ב ה ב י his sons ב נ יו your (masc. plural) clothes ב ג ד יכ ם our brothers א ח ינ ו in her eyes ב ע ינ יה 8
There is no indefinite article ( a or an ) in Hebrew. 9
the. is the definite article meaning ה When attached to a noun, it indicates definiteness. It is composed of 3 parts: ה A vowel, usually a patach ( ) A dagesh forte in the first consonant of the noun it is attached to. 10
Rules for the definite article: : before all non-gutturals (dagesh forte is in the ה first consonant of the attached noun). ר and ח, ה, ע, א include: Gutturals 11
Rules for the definite article: Gutturals reject the dagesh forte in the first consonant of the noun. doubling) (virtual ח and ה : before ה lengthening) (compensatory ר and,ע,א : before ה ה, and before unaccented ח : before ה ע or unaccented, but without a dagesh forte ה or י : before ה 12
Rules for the definite article: Some singular nouns undergo additional vowel changes as a result of adding the definite article: א רץ earth ה א רץ the earth mountain ה ר ה ה ר the mountain people ע ה ה ע ם the people גן garden ה ג ן the garden bull פ ר ה פ ר the bull ה חג festival חג the festival א ר ון ark ה א ר ון the ark Page Kelley p. 26 13
(DDO). is the Definite Direct Object Marker א ת It precedes and identifies a definite direct object. It is not usually translated. It is an optional marker of definite direct objects. Even when the direct object is definite, the DDO is not always used. It is used less in poetry than prose. 14
3ms (him) א ת /א ת The Direct Object Marker א ת ם (them) 3mp א ת ו (her) 3fs א ת ה (them) 3fp א ת ן 2ms (you) א ת all) 2mp (you א ת כ ם all) 2mp (you (you) 2fs א ת all) 2fp (you א ת כ ן all) 2fp (you א ת נ ו (us) 1cp א ת י (me) 1cs Note: The Direct Object Marker with a pronominal suffix is spelled with a holem or seghol in contrast to the preposition א ת (which means with ) when it is attached to pronominal suffixes. 15
ש Definiteness Genesis 1:17 God set them (stars) in the firmament of the heavens ו י ת ן א ת ם א מ ל ה ים ב ר ק יע ה ש ה י ם Genesis 1:27 in the image of God He created him (Adam) ב צ מ ל ם א מ ל ה ים ב ר א א ת ו Genesis 4:14 Surely You have driven me (Cain) out this day from the face of the ground הן ג ר ת א ת י ה יום ה ע מ ל פ נ י ה א ד םה 16
Biblical Hebrew A Compact Guide, Miles Van Pelt, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, copyright 2012. Biblical Hebrew An Introductory Grammar, Page H. Kelly, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, copyright 1992. 17
Hebrew lessons compiled by: Beth C. Mehaffey https://holyhiway.wordpress.com Contact: betmeh2 at gmail.com 18