Hebrew Verbs (Part 1 of 2)

This is a response to DesheDanDuvdevan's video "Genesis 1:1 - A response to Jeff Benner (part two)" in regards to my use of the word "Fatten/Filled" as a translation for the Hebrew word ברא (BaRA) instead of "Create," such as is found in most translations.

Each Hebrew verb has only "one" meaning, but a variety of applications based on its seven different verb forms. This video will explain how the verb forms work and provide a background to Hebrew verbs.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Hebrew
• verb
• forms
• binyanim

[melzipants]

Just saying, it's not hiphil, and niphal. When you pronounce them, it sounds like eefeel, and neefal. Just wanted to help out!

[ancienthebreworg]

@melzipants I don't mind criticism, but am wondering where you learned your pronunciation for these verb forms?

[melzipants]

@ancienthebreworg From my Hebrew professor in college. She speaks Hebrew fluently and learned it in Israel.

[ancienthebreworg]

@melzipants That is very interesting. I have also learned my pronunciations from fluent Israeli speakers, I wonder why the differences. Must be similar to the difference between how words are pronounced in the US North as compared to the South.

[TheJanetllewellyn]

Hi there, I really enjoyed the video but decided to check for myself. I looked up the words, throw, shoot, teach, learn and rain in the BDB and never once came up with a word ‘yarah’ or anything like it. How do you spell ‘yarah’ in Hebrew? Maybe with the correct spelling I can find it and verify your remarkable first point in this video.

Thanks a lot. Rev. Janet Llewellyn, London, UK.

[ancienthebreworg]

@TheJanetllewellyn the Hebrew spelling is ירה (yud-resh-hey), Strong's #3384 - to throw, shoot, cast, pour 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to throw, cast 1a2) to cast, lay, set 1a3) to shoot arrows 1a4) to throw water, rain 1b)

(Niphal) to be shot 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to throw, cast 1c2) to shoot 1c3) to point out, show 1c4) to direct, teach, instruct 1c5) to throw water, rain

[TheJanetllewellyn]

Thanks a lot for your prompt response. I looked up the correct spelling and am amazed and delighted at the 'complex' simplicity of biblical hebrew. I look forward to viewing all of your other video's. Keep up the good work!

[AmateurHebrew]

@ancienthebreworg

Thanks. One of the fascinating things about Hebrew verb syntax is the nuances to each of the binyan, as well as in combination with the three aspects - perfect, imperfect and preterite.

For example, niphal is sometimes simply equivalent to Qal but in the passive mood (like the rare binyan Qal passive), however as well as (simple) passive, it can be reciprocal or reflexive.

If you think about it, if "they hid themselves" in the Garden of Eden, then "they be hidden"

[AmateurHebrew]

@AmateurHebrew

.. in the form he died, the waw dropped out because it is a vowel.

Another example, is the verb judge DYN, in the perfect tense, he judged it is DaN, again the yod dropped out because it is a vowel.

(Incidentally, my name is Daniel, G*d is judge).

I should also point out that this can happen elsewhere, eg, with nouns which end with He (H) this can drop out (and sometimes turns into thaw). For example, Ro'eH is shepherd whereas my shepherd is Ro'eH + iy = Ro'iy (see Ps 22:1)

[AmateurHebrew]

@Ous114

Here's another answer:The root you give as an example is a "hollow" verb because the second root letter is waw. Verbs which have either waw or yod as their second root letter are known as hollow because these two letters are "half-vowels" (that is, in some ways they behave like vowels which are fluid and in other ways like consonants). Like other hollow things, hollow verbs have the tendency to collapse.

For example, using mwt, he will die is YaMuWT he died is MeT(spelt mem sere thaw)