§125.

The direct accusative

a
The accusative is, properly speaking, the verbal or adverbal case: it is subordinated to the verb, either
directly (accusative of object), or indirectly (accusative of determination relative to the verb, ad-verbial
accusative, § 126). It is true that the accusative is sometimes found subordinated to a noun (§ 127), but
this is a secondary usage based on the analogy of the accusative indirectly subordinated to the verb.
The direct accusative indicates the object of the verb. The object may be effected, i.e. brought about
by the verbal action, e.g. ‫יַ ֲח�מוּן‬ ‫ ֲח�מוֹת‬Jl 3.1 they will have dreams (somnia somniabunt); or simply
affected, (directly) reached by the verbal action, e.g. ‫אֹתוֹ‬ ‫ וַ יְ ַס ֵפּר‬Gn 37.9 and he recounted (the dream).
Therefore a distinction will be made between the two kinds of direct object, i.e. between the affected
object and the effected object() (§ p).
b
I) Accusative of the affected object. With some verbs the verbal action passes directly to the object
(transitive verbs), with others it passes to the object through a preposition() (intransitive verbs or, more
precisely, transitive through preposition). But some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive. Thus
‫ נָ גַ ע‬to touch is generally intransitive (transitive through preposition): it usually takes ‫( בּ‬of contact),
sometimes ‫( ֶאל‬to skim, graze, reach), but only rarely is it transitive (noun object: Is 52.11). So ‫ָﬠזַ ר‬
usually occurs with ‫ל‬, and only rarely with ‫ את‬as in Josh 1.14 ‫אוֹתם‬
ָ ‫הוֹשׁ ַי� ; ֲﬠזַ ְר ֶתּם‬
ִ to save, give
victory: 1Ch 18.6 ‫ ְל ָדוִ יד‬, but vs. 13 ‫ ;את־דּויד‬2Ch 16.12 ‫ָבּר ְֹפ ִאים‬ ‫ לא ָד ַרשׁ את־יהוה כּי‬he did not
seek Y. but the doctors; ‫ ִקנֵּ א‬Pi. with ‫את‬, ‫ ב‬or ‫ ל‬with subtle differences in meaning (see lexica). Cp. Ps

77.18 ‫ְשׁ ָח ִקים‬ ‫ קוֹל נָ ְתנוּ‬and 68.34 ‫ ;יִ ֵתּן ְבּקוֹלוֹ‬Ne 13.22 ‫�הי‬
ַ ‫ה־לי ֱא‬
ִ ‫ גּם זאת זָ ְכ ָר‬and 13.14 ‫זָ ְכ ָרה‬
ַ ‫ ;לּי ֱא‬Pr 7.13 ‫יה‬
‫�הי על זאת‬ ָ ‫ ֵה ֫ ֵﬠזָ ה ָפ ֫ ֶנ‬she was impudent enough to … and 21.29 ‫ֵה ֵﬠז אישׁ ָר ָשׁע‬
‫ ְבּ ָפנָ יו‬. Various circumstances may influence transitivity and intransitivity().
The transitive use of a verb may occur when the object is a pronoun. Thus for the verb ‫( נָ גַ ע‬quoted

above): Gn 26.29 �‫ ;נְ גַ ֲﬠנ֫ וּ‬Ru 2.9 �‫נָ גְ ֵﬠ‬ ‫ ְל ִב ְל ִתּי‬. To get the better of is usually ‫יָ כֹל ל‬, but once ‫יְ ָכ ְל ִתּיו‬
Ps 13.5. The verb ‫ ָדּ ַבק‬to cling to is generally intransitive (especially ‫ בּ‬of contact; also ‫עם‬, ‫אל‬, ‫)ל‬, but

there is the form ‫ ִתּ ְד ָבּ ַ ֫קנִ י‬Gn 19.19 (§ 63a). The verb ‫ נָ ַשׁק‬to kiss generally takes ‫ ;ל‬however, it is
sometimes used transitively with the pronoun: Gn 33.4; 1Sm 10.1; Ct 1.2; 8.1. In 1Kg 21.10, 13 ‫ֵה ִﬠיד‬

with suff. has the meaning of to testify against (‫ ;)בּ‬Jb 29.11 to testify in favour of (‫)ל‬.
To indicate the construction of every verb is the function of a dictionary rather than a grammar, but
note that e.g. ‫ ִצוָּ ה‬to give orders to is usually transitive, e.g. Gn 26.11 ‫את־כּל־העם‬ ‫( וַ יְ ַצו‬sometimes
with ‫ל‬, ‫אל‬, ‫ ָﬠנָ ה ;)על‬to reply to is always transitive, e.g. Gn 23.10 ‫את־אברהם‬ ‫( וַ ַ֫יּ ַﬠן‬likewise ‫ֵה ִשׁיב‬
‫ ָדּ ָבר‬reply to, e.g. 2Sm 3.11 ‫את־א ְבנֵ ר ָדּ ָבר‬
ַ ‫) ְל ָה ִשׁיב‬.
In Jb 19.7 (cf. Hb 1.2) ‫ ֶא ְצ ַﬠק ָח ָמס‬I cry out about injustice, ‫ ָח ָמס‬originally was probably an
exclamation: I cry out: “Injustice!” (cf. 2Kg 11.14 ‫“ ֶ ֫ק ֶשׁר‬Conspiracy!”); but even so, ‫ חמס‬was felt to

be like the direct object of ‫אצעק‬.

ba
One must avoid the error of assuming that every pronoun suffix directly attached to a verb is
accusative and that therefore the syntagm can be rewritten analytically with ‫את‬: thus � ֫‫= נְ גַ ֲﬠנוּ‬ ‫נָ ֫ ַג ְﬠנוּ‬
�‫א ְֹת‬. Either as a kind of shorthand or on the analogy of genuine transitive verbs, many Hebrew verbs
take a suffix pronoun where such a pronoun has the value of a dative and therefore is normally capable
of being rewritten by means of a preposition other than ‫)(את‬. Some examples are cited in the

immediately preceding paragraph. To them can be added(): ‫ בּוֹא‬in Is 28.15; Ez 32.11; Ps 36.12; 44.18;

119.41; Pr 10.24; 28.22; Jb 15.21; 20.22 (poetic texts); ‫ נָ ַתן‬in Josh 15.19 ‫ נְ ַת ֔ ָתּנִ י‬you gave to me (= Jdg

1.15); Is 27.4; Jr 9.1(); Ez 16.28 ‫ ִתּזְ נִ ים‬you played the whore with them || ib. ‫ַאשּׁוּר‬ ‫ל־בּנֵ י‬
ְ ‫ ; ִתּזְ נִ י ֶא‬Ps
141.1 �‫אתי‬
ִ֫ ‫י־ל� || ְק ָר‬
ָ ‫ ; ְבּ ָק ְר ִא‬Ex 6.12 “the children of Israel did not listen to me (‫)לא שׁמעו ֵא ַלי‬.
Then how would Pharaoh listen to me? (‫פרעה‬ ‫ || ”)וְ ֵאי� יִ ְשׁ ָמ ֫ ֵﬠנִ י‬6.30 ‫ואיך ישׁמע אלי‬.
bb
The use of conjunctive verbal suffixes with dative meaning seems to have spread by false analogy to
nominal complements: Ez 21.25 ‫ַﬠמּוֹן‬ ‫ ָלבוֹא ֶ֫ח ֶרב את ַר ַבּת ְבּנֵ י‬for a sword to reach Rabbah of the
Ammonites. Also 1Sm 9.18 ‫מוּאל‬
ֵ ‫ְשׁ‬ ‫ ;וַ יִּ גַּ שׁ … את‬30.21 ‫וַ יִּ גַּ שׁ … את ָה ָﬠם‬, and Nu 4.19; Jdg 19.18().
bc
In some verbs, different prepositions can lead to subtle differences in meaning. For instance, Nu 5.14
‫ת־א ְשׁתּוֹ‬
ִ ‫ וְ ִקנֵּ א ֵא‬and he becomes jealous of his wife; Gn 30.1 ‫ וַ ְתּ ַקנֵּ א ָר ֵחל ַבּ ֲאח ָֹתהּ‬and Rachel
became envious of her sister, Zc 1.14 ‫וּל ִציּוֹן‬
ְ ‫ ִק ֫ ֵנּא ִתי לירושׁלם‬I am zealous for Jerusalem and Zion.
The fact that an indirect pronominal object can be directly attached to the verb can result in some
ambiguity: does Jdg 16.21 ‫אחז֫ וּהוּ‬
ֲ ֹ ‫ וַ יּ‬mean and they captured him (= ‫ )אוֹתוֹ‬or and they held him down
(= ‫)(?)בּוֹ‬
Brockelmann (GvG, II. 322) denies the existence of the suffix in the dative meaning in Hebrew.
König (§ 21), on the other hand, accepts it quite readily, e.g. Ez 29.3 ‫שׂיתנִ י‬
ִ֫ ‫ ֲﬠ‬I made (it) for myself.
Kinberg (1981) refuses to admit a dative meaning for suffix pronouns, but instead attempts to explain
all, including rare cases of ‫ את‬plus nouns, as genuinely accusative as in Arabic. But the antiquity of
dative pronominal suffixes is in no doubt. Akkadian, which is now joined by Eblaite, had a separate
series of dative pronouns, both independent and suffixal. It is totally unacceptable to regard ‫ נתן‬+ suff.

as acc. when the indirect object to that verb is predominantly governed by ‫ל‬. On text-critical implications
of the recognition of the dative force of the suffixes under discussion here, see Sperber, Hist. Gram., p.
94 (§ 91).
bd
Due allowance, however, has to be made for mere variation with no difference in meaning: e.g., 2Kg
4.12 ‫ ְק ָרא ַלשּׁוּנַ ִמּית‬Call the Shunamite || vs. 36 ‫קרא ֶאל־השׁנמית הזאת‬
ָ ; 1Kg 1.9 ‫וַ יִּ ְק ָרא את־‬
‫כל־א ָחיו בני המלך‬
ֶ || vs. 19 ‫ ;ויקרא לכל־בני המלך‬Jr 7.13 ‫יתם‬
ֶ ִ‫ || וָ ֶא ְק ָרא ֶא ְת ֶכם ולא ֲﬠנ‬vs. 27
‫יהם ולא יענוכה‬
ֶ ‫ || וקראת ֲא ֵל‬35.17 ‫)( ואקרא להם ולא ענו‬.
be
Habitual usage can lead to occasional omission of a direct object, creating the impression that some
verbs are, at least formally, intransitive. Thus 1Sm 20.16 ‫ וַ יִּ ְכרוֹת יהוֹנתן ִﬠם־בּית דּוד‬instead of
‫ויּכרוֹת ְבּ ִרית‬. So also Jr 3.5 ‫ ָשׁ ַמר‬for ‫ ָשׁ ַמר ַאף‬or ‫ ָשׁ ַמר ֶﬠ ְב ָרה‬to bear a grudge(); ‫ נָ ָשׂא‬for ‫נָ ָשׂא‬
‫ קוֹל‬to lift up voice or Is 2.9 for ‫ נשׂא ָﬠוֹן‬to forgive; 1Sm 14.42 ‫ ִה ִפּיל‬scil. ‫גּוֹרל‬
ָ to cast the lot, 2Sm 6.6
‫ ָשׁ ַלח‬scil. ‫ ;יָ ד‬Jb 9.4 ‫ ִה ְק ָשׁה‬scil. ‫)(ע ֶֹרף‬.
c
Reflexive forms can be transitive, e.g. ‫( נִ ָבּא‬Nifal) to prophesy is usually transitive when the object

is vague: thus, with ‫( ֶ֫שׁ ֶקר‬e.g. Jr 23.25 etc.; once ‫ ַל ֶ֫שּׁ ֶקר‬27.15 for a specific thing), with ‫ ְדּ ָב ִרים‬Jr 20.1

etc.; likewise ‫ * ִה ְתנַ ֵבּא‬to prophesy: with vague object ‫ ֶ֫שׁ ֶקר‬Jr 14.14; ‫ טוֹב‬and ‫ ַרע‬1Kg 22.8, 18; but
with a precise object ‫ נִ ָבּא‬is found with ‫ל‬: ‫ ְל ִמ ְל ָח ָמה‬Jr 28.8; ‫ ְל ָשׁלוֹם‬28.9; other examples: ‫* ִה ְת ָפּ ֵרק‬

Ex 32.3; ‫ * ִה ְתנַ ֵצּל‬33.6; ‫ * ִה ְצ ַטיֵּ ד‬Josh 9.12; ‫ נָ ַסב‬Jdg 19.22; ‫( נִ ְמ ָלא‬cf. § d); ‫ ִה ְת ַח ֵתּן‬Gn 34.9; ‫ִה ְתגַּ ַלּח‬

Nu 6.19; ‫ ִה ְתנַ ֵחל‬Nu 33.54; Is 14.2; ‫ ִה ְת ַאוָּ ה‬Dt 5.17; Am 5.18; Ps 45.12; ‫ ִה ְתנַ ֵכּל‬Gn 37.18; ‫ִה ְת ַל ֵבּשׁ‬

Sir 50.11; ‫ ִה ְת ַפּ ֵשּׁט‬1Sm 18.4().

d
Some semantic categories of verbs require the accusative:
1) Verbs of abundance (verba copiae) and scarcity (inopiae), e.g. ‫ ָמ ֵלא‬to be full(), ‫ נִ ְמ ָלא‬to fill
oneself up, to be filled: Is 1.15 ‫ָמ ֵ ֽלאוּ‬ ‫יכם ָדּ ִמים‬
ֶ ‫ יְ ֵד‬your hands are full of blood; Ex 1.7 ‫וַ ִתּ ָמּ ֵלא הארץ‬
‫אוֹתם‬
ָ and the land was filled with them; 1Kg 7.14 ‫את־ה ָח ְכ ָמה‬
ַ ‫ וַ יִּ ָמּ ֵלא‬and he was filled with wisdom;
‫)שׂ ֵ ֑בעוּ( ָשׁ ַבע‬
ָ to be sated, satisfied: Ex 16.12 ‫עוּ־ל ֶ֑חם‬
ָ ‫ ִתּ ְשׂ ְבּ‬you shall be sated with bread; ‫ ָשׁ ַרץ‬to
teem with: Ex 7.28; ‫ ָשׁ ַכר‬to become intoxicated: Is 29.9; 49.26; ‫ ָרוָ ה‬to drink one’s fill: Pr 7.18; verba

inopiae: ‫ ָח ֵסר‬to lack, to be short of: Gn 18.28 etc.; ‫ ָשׁכֹל‬to be deprived of children: Gn 27.45.
The accusative with some verbs implying motion can probably() be explained as having arisen on
the analogy of the accusative of the verba copiae: ‫ ָפּ ַרץ‬to run over with, overflow with: Pr 3.10; ‫ נָ ַטף‬to

be dripping with: Jdg 5.4, Jl 4.18; ‫ נָ זַ ל‬to be running with, streaming with: Jr 9.17; ‫ ;יָ ַרד‬to be running
with, streaming with: Jr 9.17; �‫ ָה ַל‬to be running with, streaming with: Jl 4.18; ‫ זָ ב‬to flow: Lv 15.33 (with

a cognate object, ‫)()זוֹבוֹ‬.

2) Verbs of wearing (verba induendi) and taking off (exuendi): (‫ ָל ַבשׁ )ב‬to wear (clothes), to put
on (clothes): 1Kg 22.30 �‫ְבּגָ ֶ ֫די‬ ‫ ְל ַבשׁ‬put on your clothes; Is 61.10; ‫ ָﬠ ָדה‬to adorn oneself with: Is 61.10;
Jb 40.10; ‫ ָﬠ ָטה‬to be covered with, to wrap oneseslf up with: 1Sm 28.14; Is 59.17; ‫ ָﬠ ַטף‬to cover oneself

with: Ps 65.14; ‫ ָפּ ַשׁט‬to strip off: Ct 5.3.

e
The particle ‫ את‬marking the accusative. The direct object of the verb, whether pronominal or
nominal, is often preceded by the particle ‫ §( את‬103k). The particle ‫ את‬is mainly an indicator of the
accusative of object; but it is also found, albeit very seldom, with other accusatives, such as acc. of motion
(§ n), of time (§ 126i), or of limitation (§ 126g). The ‫ את‬was probably first used with the pronoun, as in
the other Semitic languages, then its use was extended to the determinate noun().
With pronouns ‫ את‬is used of necessity 1) when the object precedes the verb: Nu 22.33 ‫א ְֹת ָכה‬
‫יתי‬
ִ ‫אוֹתהּ ֶה ֱח ֵ֫י‬
ָ ְ‫ ָה ַ ֫רגְ ִתּי ו‬I would have killed you, and her, I would have let her live; 2) when there is a
double pronominal object(): 2Sm 15.25 ‫אֹתוֹ‬ ‫ וְ ִה ְר ַ֫אנִ י‬and he will show me it; 3) with the inf. abs. (cf. §
123t); 4) with the infinitive construct in ‫ ָ◌ה‬: Dt 10.12 ‫אֹתוֹ‬ ‫ ְל ַא ֲה ָבה‬to love him(); 5) usually also with
the inf. cst. to avoid ambiguity: Gn 4.15 ‫כּל־מ ְֹצאוֹ‬ ‫ §( ְל ִב ְל ִתּי ַהכּוֹת אֹתוֹ‬124g); 6) usually when the
pronominal object is followed by a nominal object: 1Sm 5.11 ‫ואת־ﬠ ִמּי‬
ַ ‫ ;יָ ִמית א ִֹתי‬23.12 ‫ֲהיַ ְסגִּ רוּ‬
‫ואת־אנָ ַשׁי‬
ֲ ‫ ַבּ ֲﬠ ֵלי ְק ִﬠ ָילה אֹתי‬following 23.11 ‫ ; ֲהיַ ְסגִּ ֻ ֫רנִ י ַב ֲﬠ ֵלי ְק ִﬠ ָילה‬Ex 12.14 … ‫וְ ַחגּ ֶֹתם אֹתוֹ‬
‫( )( ְתּ ָח ֫ ֻגּהוּ‬but there are a dozen exceptions, e.g. 1Sm 5.10 ‫ואת־ﬠ ִמּי‬
ַ ‫יתנִ י‬
ֵ֫ ‫ ;; ַל ֲה ִמ‬Dt 11.6 [contrast Nu
16.32]; Dt 15.16(); cf. Driver ad 1Sm 5.10).
f
With determinate nouns ‫ את‬is very common(), but seldom necessary(4). It must be used after a
pronominal object: Dt 11.6 ‫יהם‬
ֶ ‫ואת־א ֳה ֵל‬
ָ ‫יהם‬
ֶ ‫ואת־בּ ֵתּ‬
ָ ‫ וַ ִתּ ְב ָל ֵﬠם‬and she swallowed them up, as well
as their houses and their tents (cf. Ehrlich ad loc.); Nu 16.32. Placed before the verb, a determinate
noun() does not specifically require ‫את‬: thus, without ‫את‬: Gn 8.17; 30.40; 1Sm 2.9; 2Kg 22.8; with
‫את‬: Gn 3.10; 9.13; Ex 18.23; 2Kg 23.19. The fluctuation in respect of the use or non-use of ‫ את‬is
observable also when the object follows the verb: cp. Gn 20.7 ‫ ָה ֵשׁב ֵ֫א ֶשׁת ָה ִאישׁ‬Return the man’s
wife and 20.14 ‫ִא ְשׁתּוֹ‬ ‫ ;וַ ָ֫יּ ֶשׁב לוֹ את ָשׂ ָרה‬13.14 �‫ ָשׂא־נא ֵﬠ ֫ ֶיני‬and 13.10 ‫)(וַ יִּ ָשּׂא לוֹט את־עיניו‬.
On the other hand, indeterminate nouns do not take ‫( את‬cf. § h): e.g. Jdg 3.15 ‫את־‬ ‫מוֹשׁיע‬
ִ ‫וַ ָ֫יּ ֶקם ָל ֶהם‬
‫ ֵאהוּד‬and he raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud.
g
A demonstrative pronoun is regarded as determinate: ‫ את־זה‬Gn 44.29; Lv 11.4, 9, 21; ‫את־זאת‬

2Sm 13.17; ‫ את־אלּה‬Gn 46.18, 25. The interrogative pronoun for a person or people, ‫מי‬, is assumed

to be determinate, hence ‫ את־מי‬Is 6.8 (but never ‫)*את־מה‬. The relative ‫ אשׁר‬can be determinate in

respect of the meaning, hence ‫ את־אשׁר‬in the meaning of he who 1Sm 16.3, that which Gn 9.24, the
fact that (how) Josh 2.10.
h
A grammatically indeterminate noun, but which has a certain logical determination, can take ‫את‬.

Thus the noun ‫ כּל‬totality, whole, implying a certain determination (§ 139e), is treated like a determinate

noun: Gn 1.21b: ‫את כל־עוֹף ָכּנָ ף‬ every winged creature; 1.30; 8.21(). There is also a certain

determination in cases such as: Ex 40.2 ‫מוֹﬠד‬

ֵ ‫א ֶהל‬
ֹ ֫ ‫את־מ ְשׁ ַכּן‬
ִ the Dwelling of the tent of the

congregation (‫מוֹעד‬ ‫ אהל‬is equivalent to a proper noun; it never takes the article, § 137h); Lv 7.8 a
man’s burnt offering; 2Sm 4.11 a just man (made determinate by the context); Pr 23.6 the food of the
envious man; 2Sm 23.21 ‫הוא־ה ָכּה את־אישׁ ִמ ְצ ִרי אישׁ ַמ ְר ֶאה‬
ִ , with which cp. the parallel 1Ch

11.23 … ‫ והוא־הכה את־האישׁ המצרי אישׁ ִמ ָדּה‬and Jr 16.13 ‫את־אלהים ֲא ֵח ִרים‬.

With ‫ֶא ָחד‬ made determinate by a preposition and its noun (or pronoun): 1Sm 9.3 ‫את־א ַחד‬
ַ
‫ ֵמ ַהנְּ ָﬠ ִרים‬one of the servants; Nu 16.15 ‫ת־א ַחד ֵמ ֶהם‬
ַ ‫ ַא‬. With numbers: Ex 28.9 two stones of shoham
(but Samaritan ‫ ;) ַה ֫שּׁ ֹ ַהם‬Gn 21.30 seven ewes; Nu 26.10 250 men; 1Kg 6.16 twenty cubits (with some
determination).
Sometimes ‫ את‬is used with an indeterminate noun for the sake of clarity, to indicate the object
clearly: Lv 26.5; Nu 21.9; Ex 21.28 (contr. 29); Is 10.2; 41.7; 50.4; 64.4.
i
There is a remarkably great freedom in the use of ‫ ;את‬comp. 1Sm 10.1 �‫את־פּ‬
ַ ‫מוּאל‬
ֵ ‫וַ יִּ ַקּח ְשׁ‬
‫ ַה ֶ֫שּׁ ֶמן‬and 2Kg 9.1 ‫ ; ַקח פך השׁמן הזה‬Ru 3.16 ‫( כל־אשׁר‬after the verb) and 3.5, 11 ‫כל אשׁר‬
(before the verb); Jr 51.6 ‫ ַמ ְלּטוּ אישׁ נַ ְפשׁוֹ‬, with which cp. 51.45 ‫ ;)( ַמ ְלּטוּ אישׁ את־נפשׁו‬45.4
(before the verb in both) ‫נ ֵֹטשׁ‬ ‫יתי אני ה ֵֹרס ואת אשׁר־נָ ַ֫ט ְﬠ ִתּי אני‬
ִ ‫אשׁר־בּ ִ֫נ‬
ָ ‫)( ִה ֵנּ֤ה‬.
ia
A similar fluctuation also occurs when the object designates a part of the body of the subject in an
idiomatic collocation: e.g. Gn 22.4, 13 ‫וַ יַּ ְרא‬ ‫את־ﬠינָ יו‬
ֵ ‫ || וַ יִּ ָשּׂא אברהם‬33.1 ‫וַ ישׂא יעקב עיניו וירא‬
or Gn 27.38 ְ‫ || וישׂא ֵﬠ ָשׂו קֹלוֹ וַ יֵּ ְבךּ‬29.11 ְ‫ וישׂא את־קלוֹ ויבךּ‬or 22.12 �‫ל־תּ ְשׁ ַלח יָ ְד‬
ִ ‫ || ַא‬22.10
‫וישׁלח אברהם את־ידו ויקח‬.
ib
A determinate nominal direct object following a verb and separated from the latter by one or more
constituents is more likely to be marked by ‫ את‬than when the object is found immediately after the verb
or before the verb. In such cases the presence or absence of a nominal subject and its position in relation
to the verb appear to exert no influence. E.g. 1Kg 20.5 ‫תתן‬ ‫ כספך וזהבך ונשׁיך ובניך לי‬vs. 1Sm
5.1 ‫האלהים‬ ‫)(ופלשׁתים לקחו את ארון‬.
j
Observation. Other uses of ‫את‬. There are a certain number of cases where ‫ את‬precedes a noun
which cannot be regarded, even virtually, as the object(). These cases are difficult to explain(5); in some
there may be an accusative of limitation or of specification; in others the ‫ את‬seems solely designed to

bring the noun into prominence, on the analogy of the ‫ את‬which brings the object into prominence.
Putting aside text-critically doubtful examples and those which can be explained at least as accusatives
of object, there remain a certain number of cases which may be grouped thus:()
1) Before a noun in apposition to a noun with a preposition: Ex 1.14 ‫כל־‬ ‫בכל־ﬠב ָֹדה ֵבּ ָשּׂ ֶדה את‬
ֲ
‫ ֲﬠב ָֹד ָתם‬by all labours in the fields, all their labours …; Ez 14.22 concerning the evil that I have brought
upon Jerusalem, all that I have brought upon her.
 2) In an enumeration: Nu 3.26 before the last two longer terms of an enumeration in the nominative;
Josh 17.11 at the beginning of the group of the four ‫ישׁ ֵבי‬
ְ in an enumeration in the nominative; Ne 9.34
before the first term of an enumeration in the nominative.
3) Before an ordinary subject: Jdg 20.44 (46) All those were valiant men; Ez 17.21; 35.10.
4) Before a noun in casus pendens (§ 156c): 1Kg 15.13 ‫ִמגְּ ִב ָירה‬ ‫את־מ ֲﬠ ָכה ִאמּוֹ וַ יְ ִס ֶ ֫ר ָה‬
ַ ‫ וגם‬and
even his mother Maʿka, he took away from her the dignity of queen-mother (here perhaps the attraction
of the following accusative); Ez 20.16 ‫בהם‬ ‫קּוֹתי לא ָ ֽה ְלכוּ‬
ַ ‫ואת־ח‬
ֻ and my decrees, they did not follow
them.
5) ‫ את‬with a strong meaning equivalent to a pronoun: Ez 43.7 ‫ִכּ ְס ִאי‬ ‫את־מקוֹם‬
ְ here is the place

of my throne; Hg 2.5 ‫את־ה ָדּ ָבר‬

ַ this is the word(); Zc 7.7 ‫את־ה ְדּ ָב ִרים‬
ַ ‫ הלא‬Are not these the words
…?
6) There is perhaps an accusative of limitation (§ 126g) in 2Sm 11.25 ‫עיני� את־הדבר‬
ֶ ֫ ‫ַאל־יֵ ַרע ְבּ‬
‫ הזה‬if ‫ ירע‬is regarded as impersonal (§ 152d) may it not appear bad to you as far as this matter is
concerned; Ne 9.32 ‫כל־ה ְתּ ָל ָאה‬
ַ ‫ ַאל יִ ְמ ַﬠט ְל ָפ ֫ ֶני� את‬may it not appear to you trivial as far as all
this toil is concerned; and by analogy Josh 22.17 ‫ְפּעוֹר‬ ‫את־ﬠוֹן‬
ֲ ‫ט־לנוּ‬
ָ ֫ ‫ ַה ְמ ַﬠ‬Is Peor’s crime too trivial
for us?()
7) In the vicinity of a genuine accusative: Ne 9.19 ‫יהם‬
ֶ ‫ֵמ ֲﬠ ֵל‬ ‫לא־סר‬
ָ ‫את־ﬠמּוּד ֶה ָﬠנָ ן‬
ַ ,, following

‫ ;לא ֲﬠזַ ְב ָתּם ַבּ ִמּ ְד ָבּר‬Dn 9.13 ‫ את כל ָה ָר ָﬠה הזאת ָ֫בּ ָאה ָﬠ ֫ ֵלינוּ‬following verse 12 ‫ְל ָה ִביא ָﬠלינו‬
‫רעה גדלה‬.
k
‫ ל‬as indicator of the accusative of the direct object(). In the later language in particular, ‫ ל‬is quite
often used as an indicator of the accusative of the determinate direct object noun(): Ps 69.6 ‫יָ ַ ֫ד ְﬠ ָתּ‬
‫ ְל ִאוַּ ְל ִתּי‬you know my folly; Jb 5.2 ‫ג־כּ ַ ֑ﬠס‬
ָ ‫ כי ֶל ֱאוִ יל יַ ֲה ָר‬for vexation kills the foolish one (object placed
before verb; here grammatical determination is lacking); with ‫ ָﬠזַ ב‬1Ch 16.37; ‫ ִה ְב ִדּיל‬25.1; �‫ִה ְמ ִלי‬
29.22; ‫ ָשׁ ַלח‬Ezr 8.16; ‫ ָדּ ַרשׁ‬1Ch 22.19; 2Ch 17.3, 4; 20.3; 31.21; 34.3; ‫ זָ ַכר‬Ex 32.13; Dt 9.27; Jr 31.34

(‫ ל‬due to parallelism); 2Ch 6.42; ‫ ָא ַהב‬Lv 19.18, 34. With a participle: Is 11.9 ‫ְמ ַכ ִסּים‬ ‫ ַכּ ַ֫מּיִ ם ַליָּ ם‬as
water covers the sea (contr. Hb 2.14); 14.2; Am 6.3().
l
Observation. Other uses of ‫ ל‬analogous to those of ‫( את‬cf. § j).
 1) ‫ל‬ before a noun in apposition in whatever grammatical case: 1Ch 13.1 ‫ם־שׂ ֵרי ָה ֲא ָל ִפים‬
ָ ‫ִﬠ‬
‫ וְ ַה ֵמּאוֹת לכל־נָ גִ יד‬with the chiliarchs and the centurions, all the chiefs; Lv 5.3; Jr 1.18b (after ‫;)על‬
genitive: Gn 23.10 ‫ִﬠירוֹ‬ ‫ ; ְבּ ָאזְ נֵ י ְבנֵ י ֵחת לכל ָבּ ֵאי ַ֫שׁ ַﬠר‬1Ch 7.5; in the nominative: Ez 44.9 ‫;לכל־‬
Ezr 1.5; 1Ch 26.26; 2Ch 5.12; accusative: Ezr 8.24; Ne 8.9; even after ‫את‬: 2Ch 23.1; 33.8.
2) In an enumeration, before the last noun (sometimes even when there are only two): nominative:
1Ch 29.6; accusative: 1Ch 28.1 (after ‫ ;)את‬28.18 (last term of the enumeration beginning in vs. 11); 2Ch
24.12; 26.14; genitive: Ezr 7.28.
3) Before a subject: 1Ch 28.21 ‫ ;לכל־נָ ִדיב‬1Ch 3.2; 2Ch 7.21.

m
‫ בּ‬of transitivity. When the object is an instrument in a broad sense, the construction with ‫ בּ‬is
sometimes found instead of the accusative(): Ex 7.20 ‫ַבּ ַמּ ֶטּה‬ ‫ וַ ָ֫יּ ֶרם‬and he lifted up the rod (contr. 14.16;
Is 10.15 with the acc.) lit. he made an elevation with the rod; Josh 8.18 ‫ ַבּ ִכּידוֹן נְ ֵטה‬stretch out the
javelin(); 1Ch 15.16 (¿) ‫ַבּקוֹל‬ ‫ ְל ָה ִרים‬to raise one’s voice (the only instance in prose); ‫ ֵהנִ ַי� ְבּר ֹאשׁ‬to
shake one’s head Jb 16.4 (acc. Ps 22.8); ‫ְבּר ֹאשׁ‬ ‫ ֵהנִ יד‬id. Jr 18.16; ‫ ָפּ ַﬠר ְבּ ֶפה‬to open one’s mouth Jb
16.10; ‫ ִה ְפ ִטיר ְבּ ָשׂ ָפה‬to open one’s lips(?) Ps 22.8 ‫יה‬
ָ ‫ ֵפּ ְר ָשׂה ְבּיָ ֶ ֫ד‬she stretched out her hands Lm
1.17; ‫ְבּקוֹל‬ ‫ נָ ַתן‬Jr 12.8; Ps 46.7; 68.34 (elsewhere acc.).
ma
The preposition ‫ ב‬can also be used with verbs which otherwise would normally take a direct object

marked by ‫ ;את‬then it indicates a lesser degree of transitivity of basically the same activity in terms of
the following parameters:()
Involvement: Zc 6.15 ‫יהוה‬ ‫יכל‬
ַ ‫וּבנוּ ְבּ ֵה‬
ָ and they will take part in the reconstruction of the temple;
Durativity: Dt 17.19 ‫כל־ימי חייו‬
ֵ ‫;וְ ָק ָרא בו‬ Ne 9.3 ‫ ;ויקראו בספר תורת יהוה‬2Ch 34.12
‫אכה‬
ָ ‫;)(והאנשׁים ע ִֹשׂים באמונה ַבּ ְמּ ָל‬
Affectedness: 1Sm 6.19 ‫אישׁ‬ ‫ וַ יַּ � ָבּ ָﬠם ִשׁ ְב ִﬠים‬as against 5.9 ‫את־אנְ ֵשׁי העיר ִמ ָקּטֹן ועד‬
ַ ‫ויך‬
‫( גדול‬total destruction); 2Ch 28.9 ‫ ותהרגו־בם‬vs. Gn 34.26 ‫ ;ויהרגו כל זָ ָכר‬Nu 11.17 �‫וְ נָ ְשׂאוּ ִא ְתּ‬
‫ ְבּ ַמ ָשּׂא ָה ָﬠם‬and they shall bear the burden of the people along with you vs. Dt 1.12 ‫ֶא ָשּׂא ְל ַב ִדּי‬
‫וּמ ַשּׂ ֲא ֶכם‬
ַ ‫ ָט ְר ֲח ֶכם‬I can bear your burden on my own …
mb
 In one case the use of Beth is probably influenced by a synonymous verb. The verb ‫ ָדּ ַרשׁ‬in the sense

of to ask for an oracle is used with Beth ten times and without it thirteen times, whereas ‫ ָשׁ ַאל‬in the
same sense always occurs with Beth().
mc
An inf. cst. prefixed with the preposition Beth is best interpreted as a temporal adjunct rather than
indicating the content of visual (‫ )ראה‬or aural (‫ )שׁמע‬perception: e.g., Gn 27.5 ‫ורבקה שׁ ַֹמ ַﬠת ְבּ ַד ֵבּר‬
‫ל־ﬠ ָשׂו‬
ֵ ‫ יצחק ֶא‬and R. was listening as I. spoke to E. In all the relevant cases the action indicated by the
inf. is contemporaneous with that indicated by the lead verb, which is the case even in 1Sm 14.27 ‫ויונתן‬
‫לא ָשׁ ַמע ְבּ ַה ְשׁ ִבּ ַי� ָא ִביו את העם‬, for J. was not there to hear when his father adjured the people,
nor did J. get to hear that his father had().
n
The accusative of motion towards a place, and of direction towards a goal is probably related to
the accusative of the direct object (§ b). As explained in § 93c, forms such as ‫ ֫ ַגּ ָתּה‬to Gath and ‫וֹלה‬
ָ ‫ְשׁ ֫א‬
to Sheol with the so-called He locale do not belong here(), but note Nu 22.26 ‫וּשׂמֹאול‬
ְ ‫ ִלנְ טוֹת יָ ִמין‬to
turn right and left (‫ יָ ֫מינָ ה‬and ‫אלה‬
ָ ֹ ‫ ְשׂ ֫מ‬unattested). With the accusative placed before the verb, for
emphasis: Josh 6.19 ‫אוֹצר יהוה יָ בוֹא‬
ַ it is into Y.’s treasury that it shall come; 1Sm 5.8; 1Kg 2.26;
12.1; Is 52.4; Jr 2.10; 20.6; 32.5. The verb ‫ בּוֹא‬with the acc. means not only to go to, to come to (Jdg
11.16; 2Kg 6.4; 1Sm 4.12; 2Kg 8.7; Ru 1.2) but also to enter Gn 12.11; 41.57; 1Kg 14.12 (cf. ingredi
urbem “to enter a city”). On the analogy of this construction the accusative is also used for the place out
of which one comes (cf. egredi urbem “to leave a city”): Gn 44.4 ‫ ; ָי ְֽצאוּ את־העיר‬Ex 9.29, 33; Dt
14.22; cf. Jr 10.20b (suffix).
o
Related to the direct accusative are perhaps() some accusatives which may be called accusatives of
result: Is 5.6 ‫וָ ָ֫שׁיִ ת‬ ‫( וְ ָﬠ ָלה ָשׁ ִמיר‬the vine) shall go up with briers and thorns; 34.13; Pr 24.31 (cp. Lat.
ire in semen, Fr. monter en graine); with ‫ נוּב‬Pr 10.31 the mouth of the just blossoms out with wisdom;

‫ ָפּ ַרח‬Ex 9.9 an eruption budding with boils; perh. ‫ ָפּ ַצח ִרנָּ ה‬to break forth into cries of joy (Is 14.7;
44.23; 49.13; 54.1; 55.12); 59.5 ‫ ִתּ ָבּ ַקע‬the crushed (egg) breaks forth into a viper.

For the accusative ‫ילה‬

ָ ‫ ָח ֫ ִל‬, cf. § 93h.
p
 II) Accusative of the effected object. Whereas the affected object (§ a) is understood as existing
prior to the action, the effected object is produced by the action itself. Thus Gn 1.29 ‫ֶ֫ז ַרע‬ �ַ ‫( ז ֵֹר‬cf. 1.11,
12) producing seed, ‫ זֶ ַרע‬is an effected object, whereas it is an affected object in ‫ֶ֫ז ַרע‬ ‫ זָ ַרע‬to scatter and
sow seed Dt 11.10; 22.9 etc. The effected object is concrete, and external in relation to the action: it is
thus distinguished from the internal object (§ q). The effected object, thus defined, is rather rare; we find
it with verbs such as ‫ ָבּנָ ה‬to build, ‫ ָבּ ָרא‬to create, ‫ יָ ַלד‬to bear, ‫ יָ ַצר‬to form, ‫ ָכּ ַתב‬to write, ‫ ָﬠ ָשׂה‬to
make, but otherwise it is hardly ever found except with a verb of the same root (often denominative)().
Examples: Gn 1.11 ‫ ַתּ ְד ֵשׁא הארץ ֶ ֫דּ ֶשׁא‬let the earth produce grass; 9.14 ‫ ; ָﬠנָ ן‬11.3 ‫ ; ְל ֵבנִ ים‬37.7
‫ ; ֲא ֻל ִמּים‬Mi 2.4 ‫ ;נְ ִהי‬Ps 144.6 ‫ ; ָבּ ָרק‬Is 42.10 ‫ ; ִשׁיר‬with a determinative: Gn 30.37 ‫וַ יְ ַפ ֵצּל ְפּ ָצלוֹת‬
‫ ְל ָבנוֹת‬and he made white stripes.
q
III) Accusative of the internal object. The internal object is an abstract noun of action, identical
with, or analogous to the action expressed by the verb(). By extension, some accusatives which are
equivalent to this action or which determine it are said to be related to the internal object. The abstract
noun of action is mainly the infinitive absolute, which may be used as the acc. of the internal object, as
has been discussed in § 123d ff.(). But any other form may be found, e.g. Nu 11.4 ‫ַתּ ַאוָ ה‬ ‫ ִה ְת ַאוּוּ‬Lat.
cupierunt cupidinem = they were seized with covetousness (Ps 106.14; Pr 21.26); Zc 1.2 ‫ָ ֫ק ֶצף‬ … ‫ָק ַצף‬
he was very indignant; ‫ ְפּ ֻק ָדּה‬Nu 16.29; ‫ ַא ֲה ָבה‬1Sm 20.17; ‫בוּרה‬
ָ ‫ ְק‬Jr 22.19; ‫ ֫ ַפּ ַחד‬Ps 14.5; ‫ ֵח ְטא‬La
1.8(). It occurs also with a noun synonymous with the verb: ‫ִבּינָ ה‬ ‫ יָ ַדע‬to have intelligence (lit. to know
or to learn intelligence: Is 29.24; Pr 4.1; Jb 38.4; 1Ch 12.32; 2Ch 2.11, 12).
The accusative of the internal object is found not only with transitive verbs (e.g. Gn 43.3), but also
with intransitive verbs: Ez 18.21 ‫יִ ְחיֶ ה‬ ‫ ָחי ֹה‬Lat. vitam (vivere) vivet = he will live life; Jn 4.6 ‫וַ יִּ ְשׂ ַמח‬
‫ … ִשׂ ְמ ָחה גדולה‬he rejoiced … exceedingly; 4.1 ‫ וַ ֵ֫יּ ַרע ֶאל־יונה ָר ָﬠה גדולה‬and Jonah was mightily
displeased; and also with reflexive and passive verbs: Nu 16.29 ‫יהם‬
ֶ ‫ֲﬠ ֵל‬ ‫כל־ה ָא ָדם יִ ָפּ ֵקד‬
ָ ‫ ְפּ ֻק ַדּת‬they
are punished with the punishment of all men; Jr 22.19 ‫יִ ָקּ ֵבר‬ ‫בוּרת ֲחמוֹר‬
ַ ‫ ְק‬he shall have the burial of
a donkey (cf. § 123r); 1Sm 20.6; Gn 17.13; Nu 11.4; Ex 21.12; prob. ‫ָר ִכיל‬ �‫ ָה ַל‬Lv 19.16 etc. to defame
(‫רכיל‬, noun of action: circulation, hence defamation; cf. König, Syntax, § 329 k).

r
The accusative of the internal object may be qualified. Thus it can have an adjective(): Nu 11.33 � ַ‫וַ יּ‬
‫ יהוה ָבּ ָﬠם ַמ ָכּה ַר ָבּה מאד‬And Y. struck among the people a very great blow(); Gn 27.34. It can have
a genitive: 2Sm 4.5 ‫ַה ָצּ ֳה ָ ֫ריִ ם‬ ‫ והוּא שׁ ֵֹכב את ִמ ְשׁ ַכּב‬now he was sleeping the midday sleep (= he was
taking a siesta); 1Sm 20.17 ‫ֲא ֵהבוֹ‬ ‫אה ַבת נַ ְפשׁוֹ‬
ֲ ‫ כי‬he loved him as() his soul (with the love of his soul);
Lv 25.42 ‫ לא יִ ָמּ ְכרוּ ִמ ְמ ֶ֫כּ ֶרת ֫ ָﬠ ֶבד‬they shall not be sold as one sells a slave; Is 24.22; also with
different subjects: Is 62.5 � ִ‫�הי‬
֑ ָ ‫ֱא‬ � ִ‫ל־כּ ָלּה יָ ִשׂישׂ ָﬠ ֫ ַלי‬
ַ ‫ ְמשׂוֹשׂ ָח ָתן ַﬠ‬as the bridegroom rejoices in his
bride so shall your God rejoice in you.
s
The use of the word ‫ קוֹל‬voice with verbs which express an emission of voice is probably() related
to the internal object. This concrete substantive, which has no corresponding verb, indeed seems to be
used on the analogy of a noun of action. Thus with ‫ ָק ָרא‬to speak loudly, to shout, to call (without a
corresponding noun of action) we have ‫גָּ דוֹל‬ ‫ ָק ָרא קוֹל‬Ez 8.18; 9.1; 11.13; Ezr 10.12 (contr. ‫ ְבּקוֹל‬Gn
39.14 etc.); with ‫ זָ ַﬠק‬to cry out 2Sm 19.5 ‫גָּ דוֹל‬ ‫ ;וַ יִּ זְ ַﬠק קוֹל‬with ‫ ָבּ ָכה‬to weep 2Sm 15.23 ‫בּוֹכים קוֹל‬
ִ
‫גָּ דוֹל‬. Other examples: Dt 5.19; 27.14; 1Kg 8.55; prob. also Ex 24.3 ‫ וַ ַ֫יּ ַﬠן כל־העם קוֹל ֶא ָחד‬and all
the people answered with one voice. There probably is an acc. in Is 10.30 �‫קוֹל‬
ֵ ‫ ַצ ֲה ִלי‬hinni voce(m)
tua(m) [= lit. “Neigh your voice!”] (but not in ‫ֶא ְק ָרא‬ ‫קוֹלי‬
ִ Ps 3.5; cf. § 151c).
t
The accusative of the number of times (equivalent to the number of actions) is also probably related
to the internal object(): Gn 33.3 ‫ וַ יִּ ְשׁ ַ֫תּחוּ ֶ֫שׁ ַבע ְפּ ָﬠ ִמים‬and he bowed down seven times (= seven
prostrations); Ex 23.14 ‫לי‬ ‫ ָשׁלשׁ ְרגָ ִלים ָתּחֹג‬three times you shall celebrate the feast in my honour;
Nu 20.11.
u
IV) The double accusative of the affected object().
1) If, in a clause consisting of a subject, an object, and a transitive verb with simple (non-causative;
§ b–d) meaning, this verb is changed into a causative, the subject (usually a person) becomes a second
object. Thus a sentence such as ‫את־כּבֹדוֹ‬
ְ ‫ ָר ִ֫אינוּ‬we have seen his glory becomes ‫את־כּבֹדוֹ‬
ְ ‫ֶה ְר ָ֫אנוּ‬
Dt 5.21 he has made it that we could see his glory = he has made us see (= has shown) his glory. Thus
we have �‫י‬
ַ ‫ ִה ְשׁ ִמ‬to make hear 2Kg 7.6; �‫הוֹד ַי‬
ִ to make know 1Sm 14.12; ‫ * ִל ֵמּד‬to teach Dt 4.5; ‫ֶה ֱא ִכיל‬
to cause sbd to eat = to give sbd sth to eat, to feed sbd with sth Dt 8.3; ‫ ִה ְשׁ ָקה‬to cause sbd to drink
(‫ ) ָשׁ ָתה‬sth, give sbd sth to drink Jdg 4.19. With ‫ ִכּ ְל ֵכּל‬to support (feed) sbd with sth Gn 47.12; 1Kg
18.4, 13† the second acc. is prob. an acc. of object (perh. on the analogy of ‫)() ֶה ֱא ִכיל‬. This is the
construction taken by verbs of abundance and scarcity, verbs of wearing and taking off, and other verbs
on the analogy of these verbs (§ d), when the meaning is causative, e.g. Gn 26.15 ‫ָﬠ ָפר‬ ‫ וַ יְ ַמ ְלאוּם‬and
they filled them with earth; 41.42 ‫י־שׁשׁ‬
ֵ ‫ִבּגְ ֵד‬ ‫ וַ יַּ ְל ֵבּשׁ אֹתוֹ‬and he dressed him in garments of byssus; Ex
25.11 ‫זָ ָהב‬ ‫ית אֹתוֹ‬
ָ֫ ‫ וְ ִצ ִפּ‬and you shall overlay it (= the Ark) with gold; Gn 37.23 ‫את־יוֹסף‬
ֵ ‫וַ יַּ ְפ ִ֫שׁיטוּ‬
‫את־כּ ָתּנְ תּוֹ‬
ֻ and they stripped Joseph of his tunic; 2Ch 20.11 ‫הוֹר ְשׁ ָ֫תּנוּ‬
ַ ‫ ִמיְּ ֻר ָשּׁ ְת� ֲא ֶשׁר‬out of your
possession which you have given us to inherit; Jdg 9.45 ‫ֶ֫מ ַלח‬ ‫ וַ יִּ זְ ָר ֫ ֶﬠ ָה‬he sowed it with salt; Gn 27.37
‫ ָדּגָ ן וְ ִתרשׁ ְס ַמ ְכ ִתּיו‬with corn and wine have I sustained him; Is 43.23 ‫ וּזְ ָב ֶ֫חי� לא ִכ ַבּ ְד ָ֫תּנִ י‬you have
not honoured me with your sacrifices; 1Sm 24.17 ‫טּוֹבה‬
ָ ‫ גְּ ַמ ְל ַ֫תּנִ י ַה‬you have dealt well with me; Gn
32.24 ‫ַה ֫ ָנּחל‬ ‫ וַ יַּ ֲﬠ ִב ֵרם את‬and he got them across the river, Dt 32.13 ‫ וַ יֵּ נִ ֵ ֫קהוּ ְד ַבשׁ‬and he made him
suck honey; Jr 23.27 ‫ְשׁמי‬ ‫ ְל ַה ְשׁ ִכּ ַי� את ַﬠ ִמּי‬to make my people forget my name; Dt 31.7 ‫ילנָּ ה‬
ֶ ֫ ‫ַתּנְ ִח‬
‫אוֹתם‬
ָ you shall put them in possession of it; Is 28.9 ‫מוּﬠה‬
ָ ‫את־מי יָ ִבין ְשׁ‬
ִ whom will he make

understand the message? On ‫ָדּ ָבר‬ ‫ ֵה ִשׁיב‬to report, see below, § x.

ua
Only rarely does a Qal verb take a double object: 1Kg 18.34 ‫מים‬ ‫ ִמ ְלאוּ ַא ְר ָבּ ָﬠה ַכ ִדּים‬Fill four
jars with water; Jr 19.4 ‫נְ ִקיִּ ם‬ ‫ ָמ ְלאוּ את המקום הזה ִדּם‬they filled this place with the blood of the
innocent, perh. also 16.18; Ex 29.5 ‫ַא ְבנֵ ט‬ ‫רתּ א ָֹתם‬
ָ֫ ַ‫ וְ ָחג‬and you shall gird them with turbans; Lv 24.23
‫ וַ יִּ ְרגְּ מוּ אֹתוֹ ָ֫א ֶבן‬and they stoned him with a stone, cf. 20.2 ‫ ;יִ ְרגְּ ֻ֫מהוּ ָב ָ֫א ֶבן‬Ez 13.10 ‫ָט ִחים אֹתוֹ ָתּ ֵפל‬
they plaster it with mortar, Is 45.11 ‫ָבּנַ י‬ ‫ ָהא ִֹתיּוֹת ְשׁ ָא ֫לוּנִ י ַﬠל‬Ask me for the signs about …
v
2) There is also a double object if a nominal clause (consisting of a subject and of a predicate) is
changed to a verbal clause. With a verb such as to make etc., the subject becomes object, and the predicate
becomes second object, which significantly does not take ‫את‬. Thus a nominal clause such as ‫ָה ָא ָדם‬
‫ ָﬠ ָפר‬man (is) dust becomes e.g. Gn 2.7 ‫יצר את האדם עפר‬
ֶ ‫ וַ ִ֫יּ‬and he formed man (from) dust. Just as
the predicate of a nominal clause is used in a very loose manner (§ 154e), a verbal clause with a double
object is likewise used in a very loose manner. Thus it is used for: 1) the thing and the matter of which
it is made: Ct 3.10 ‫מּוּדיו ָﬠ ָשׂה ָ֫כ ֶסף‬
ָ ‫ ַﬠ‬he made its pillars (from) silver; Dt 27.6 ‫ֲא ָבנִ ים ְשׁ ֵלמוֹת ִתּ ְבנֶ ה‬
‫את־מזְ ַבּח יהוה‬
ִ it is (from) whole stones that you shall build the altar of Y. (the second object in first

position for emphasis); 1Sm 28.24 ‫ַמצּוֹת‬ ‫ וַ תּ ֫ ֵֹפהוּ‬and she baked unleavened cakes from it; 2) the word
‫ ֵשׁם‬name and a proper noun: Gn 30.6 ‫ ָק ְר ָאה ְשׁמוֹ ָדּן‬she called his name Dan; 3) the thing counted
and the number: Ex 25.37 ‫ִשׁ ְב ָﬠה‬ ‫יה‬
ָ ‫ וְ ָﬠ ִ֫שׂית את־נֵ ר ֶֹ֫ת‬and you shall make its lamps (to the number) of
seven; 2Sm 14.26b. The same is probably true for ‫ ִמ ְס ָפּר‬number: Jb 1.5(); Ex 16.16; 1Sm 6.4 (‫מספּר‬
in first position; in vs. 18 as predicate of a nominal clause, and likewise Jr 2.28, § 154e, 4).
w
3) The clause which is the basis of the construction with the two accusatives, however, is not
necessarily a nominal clause, as it was in these last mentioned cases. Rather it is a verbal clause with the
verb ‫ ָהיָ ה‬in the sense of to become. Thus a clause like ‫֫ ֶפּ ֶסל‬ ‫ ַה ֶ֫כּ ֶסף ָהיָ ה‬the silver has become a statue,
consisting of a subject, the verbal predicate ‫ ָהיָ ה‬, and a predicative() (complement of the predicate, cf.

§ 126a), becomes, with a verb having a causative meaning cause to become etc., make, ‫ָﬠ ָשׂה ַה ֶ֫כּ ֶסף‬
‫ ֫ ֶפּ ֶסל‬he has made the silver a statue, where the subject becomes the first object, and the predicative the
second object. Thus a second accusative of the thing produced, which incidentally does not take ‫את‬, is

often found with verbs() like ‫ ָﬠ ָשׂה‬to make, ‫ שׂוּם‬/ ‫ ִשׁית‬to place etc., and ‫ נָ ַתן‬to put, to give: Jdg 17.4

‫ וַ יַּ ֲﬠ ֵ֫שׂהוּ ֫ ֶפּ ֶסל‬and he transformed it (= the silver) (into) a statue; also with ‫ ָﬠ ָשׂה‬: Gn 27.9; Nu 11.8;
17.3; Ho 8.4; Ps 104.4. With ‫שׂוּם‬: 1Sm 8.1 ‫שׁ ְֹפ ִטים‬ ‫את־בּנָ יו‬
ָ ‫ וַ ָ֫יּ ֶשׂם‬and he made his sons judges; Gn
28.18 ‫ וַ ָ֫יּ ֶשׂם א ָֹתהּ ַמ ֵצּ ָבה‬he set it (= the stone) for a pillar, and likewise 31.45 ‫ימ ָה ַמ ֵצּ ָבה‬
ֶ֫ ‫ וַ יְ ִר‬he
erected it for a pillar, again with ‫שׂוּם‬: Gn 27.37; 1Sm 18.13; 22.7; 11.11 ‫לשׁה‬
ָ ‫וַ ָ֫יּ ֶשׂם את־העם ְשׁ‬
ִ ‫ ָר‬and he organised the army into three companies (comp. 13.17, § 126c). With ‫ ִשׁית‬: 1Kg 11.34
‫אשׁים‬
‫ נָ ִשׂיא ֲא ִשׂ ֶ֫תנּוּ‬Vulg. ducem ponam eum (“I will make him ruler”); Is 5.6; 26.1 etc. With ‫נָ ַתן‬: Is 3.4
‫יהם‬
ֶ ‫ וְ נָ ַת ִ֫תּי נְ ָﬠ ִרים ָשׂ ֵר‬Vulg. dabo pueros principes eorum (“I will make boys their princes”); Gn 17.5
etc. With other verbs: 1Kg 18.32 �ַ ‫את־הא ָבנִ ים ִמזְ ֵבּ‬
ֲ ‫ וַ יִּ ְבנֶ ה‬aedificavit lapides (in) altare, i.e. he
arranged the stones (in the shape of) an altar (contr. Dt 27.6; § v); Ex 12.39 ‫ֻﬠגֹת‬ ‫ וַ יֹּאפוּ ַה ָבּ ֵצק‬they
baked the dough (to make) cakes; 1Kg 11.30 ‫ְק ָר ִﬠים‬ ‫ וַ יִּ ְק ָר ֫ ֶﬠ ָה ְשׁנֵ ים ָﬠ ָשׂר‬and he tore it (= the cloak)
(into) twelve pieces; Ps 114.8 ‫ם־מיִ ם‬
ָ֫ ַ‫ֲאג‬ ‫ ֵהה ְֹפ ִכי ַהצּוּר‬he who turns the rock into a pool of water, Am
5.8; Hb 3.9 ‫ע־א ֶרץ‬
֑ ָ ‫ְתּ ַב ַקּ‬ ‫ נְ ָהרוֹת‬you did cleave the earth (with) rivers (= rivers come out of it); Jb 28.2.
For the construction of a doubly transitive verb used passively cf. § 128c.
x
Unlike Gn 22.13 ‫ְלע ָֹלה‬ ‫את־ה ַ֫איִ ל וַ יַּ ֲﬠ ֫ ֵלהוּ‬
ָ ‫ וַ יִּ ַקּח‬and he took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt
offering, the object is often omitted from the second verb: e.g. Dt 28.39 ‫ְכּ ָר ִמים ִתּ ַטּע וְ ָﬠ ָ֫ב ְד ָתּ ויין לא‬
‫ִת ְשׁ ֶתּה ולא ֶת ֱאגֹר‬ you shall plant vineyards and work at them but you will not drink wine nor
accumulate it; 1Sm 31.13 ‫וַ יִּ ְק ְברוּ‬ ‫יהם‬
ֶ ‫את־ﬠ ְצמ ֵֹת‬
ַ ‫ וַ יִּ ְקחוּ‬and they took their bones and buried (them);
1Kg 18.33 ‫על־ה ֵﬠ ִצים‬
ָ ‫את־ה ָפּר וַ ָ֫יּ ֶשׂם‬
ַ ‫ וַ יְ נַ ַתּח‬and he cut up the bull and put (it) on the wood(). There
are, however, cases in which the second or last verb has an object: Jdg 5.26 ‫ַר ָקּתוֹ‬ ‫ ָמ ֲח ָצה וְ ָח ְל ָפה‬she
shattered and pierced his temple; Is 41.20; Ho 6.1(). Cf. § 146i.
y
Ellipsis can lead to the development of an apparently new meaning of verbs: Nu 14.19 ‫אתה‬
ָ ‫נָ ָ֫שׂ‬
‫“ ָל ָﬠם הזה‬you have forgiven this people (‫ ֲﬠוֹנָ ם‬understood)”; Jr 6.10 ‫יוּכלוּ‬
ְ ‫הנה ֲﬠ ֵר ָלה ָאזְ נָ ם ולא‬
‫ ְל ַה ְק ִשׁיב‬behold, their ears are closed; they cannot listen, cf. Pr 2.2 �‫ ְל ַה ְק ִשׁיב ַל ָח ְכ ָמה ָאזְ ֫ ֶנ‬to lend
your ear to wisdom(); 1Kg 13.7 ‫ﬠ ָדה‬
֑ ָ ‫וּס‬
ְ ‫ ֫בֹּ ָאה ִא ִתּי ַה ַבּיְ ָתה‬Come with me inside the house and refresh
yourself, cf. Jdg 19.5 ‫ת־ל ֶחם‬
ֶ ֫ ‫ַפּ‬ �‫ ְס ָﬠד ִל ְבּ‬Refresh your heart with a morsel of bread. Likewise ‫ֵה ִשׁיב‬
‫ ָדּ ָבר‬to report back, answer, but occasionally just ‫ ֵה ִשׁיב‬, e.g. Jb 13.22; 2Ch 10.16 (|| 1Kg 12.16 with
‫;) ָדּ ָבר‬ Is 41.20 ‫ יָ ֫שׂימוּ‬they shall consider (‫ ַﬠל ִל ָבּם‬understood). ‫ ֵה ִשׁיב ָדּ ָבר‬has become a fully
integrated phrasal verb so that it may now look like taking two additional objects: ‫וְ יָ ִשׁבוּ א ָֹ֫תנוּ ָדּ ָבר‬
‫ה־בּהּ‬
ָ ‫את־ה ֶדּ ֶר� אשׁר נַ ֲﬠ ֶל‬
ַ and let them report and tell us the way we should take Dt 1.22; ‫מה ָא ִשׁיב‬

‫ שׁ ְֹל ִחי ָדּ ָבר‬what should I report to the one who has dispatched me? 2Sm 24.13(). Cf. § be above.

§126. The indirect accusative

a
The indirect accusative (cf. § 125a) is indirectly subordinated to the verb (ad-verbial accusative). It
indicates a determination of the verbal predicate. In some categories of the indirect accusative, that of
time and place in particular (§ h, i), the syntactic relationship is sometimes made more explicit by the
use of an appropriate preposition or by the use of a noun with a paragogic vowel. By extension, it can be
found in a nominal clause. Finally the indirect accusative can be the attribute of a noun (§ 127). The main
kinds of indirect accusative are the following:()
1) Predicative accusative of state. If to a verbal clause is added a complementary phrase expressing
a state() or a quality of the subject (or of the object), this complementary phrase, expressing something
new, cannot simply be placed alongside the subject (or the object): it is subordinated to the verbal
predicate(), in the same way as an adverb, and is therefore put into the accusative(4). The accusative can
be recognised, in the absence of the old case-endings, by the indetermination. The accusative of state can
be an adjective, a participle or a substantive. It can refer either to the subject or to the object().
Adjective: (Predicative referring to the subject): Gn 25.25 ‫ַא ְדמוֹנִ י‬ ‫ וַ יֵּ ֵצא ָה ִראשׁוֹן‬prior egressus
est rufus, “the first one came out (and he was) red-haired” (‫אדמני‬, being indeterminate, cannot be in

apposition to ‫ ;הראשׁוֹן‬red-haired expresses something new, and brings about an affirmation); Gn 37.35;
Nu 16.30; 2Sm 19.21; Ru 1.21 ‫ אני ְמ ֵל ָאה ָה ֫ ַל ְכ ִתּי‬plena egressa sum “I went away full” (the predicative

preceding the verb for emphasis); Is 20.3 ‫ ָה ַל� ַﬠ ְב ִדּי יְ ַשׁ ְﬠ ָ֫יהוּ ָﬠרוֹם וְ יָ ֵחף‬my servant Isaiah has walked
naked and barefoot (in vs. 4 these two adjectives are in the sing with plural substantives, like adverbs;
likewise ‫ ָﬠרוֹם‬Jb 24.7, 10; ‫דּוּמם‬
ָ Is 47.5; ‫שׁוֹלל‬
ָ Jb 12.17); ‫ ָר ָﬠה‬1Sm 18.10, but cf. 16.14, 23.
(Predicative referring to the object): Nu 6.19 ‫את־הזְּ ר ַֹ� ְבּ ֵשׁ ָלה‬
ַ ‫ וְ ָל ַקח‬and he shall take the arm
(when it is) cooked; Josh 9.12 (‫ ָחם‬hot in first position for emphasis); Gn 37.2 ‫את־דּ ָבּ ָתם‬
ִ ‫יוֹסף‬
ֵ ‫וַ יָּ ֵבא‬
‫ ָר ָﬠה‬attulit Ioseph rumorem de eis (ut (malum (= spoke ill of them); Nu 14.37; 2Ch 7.10.
b
Participle: (Predicative referring to the subject): Nu 16.27 ‫נִ ָצּ ִבים‬ ‫ יָ ְצאוּ‬exierant stantes (= “they
had gone out and were standing”); 10.25; 1Kg 14.15; Ezr 9.3; 10.9; 1Kg 1.45 ‫( ְשׂ ֵמ ִחים‬verbal adj.); also

in a nominal clause: Gn 29.2; 2Ch 9.21 ‫ ֳאנִ יּוֹת ַל ֶ֫תּ ֶל� הֹלכוֹת ַתּ ְר ִשׁישׁ‬the king had ships sailing to
Tarshish … rather than the king’s ships sailed to T.; 30.22.
(Predicative referring to the object): Nu 11.10 ‫את־ה ָﬠם בּ ֶֹכה‬
ָ ‫משׁה‬
ֶ ‫ וַ יִּ ְשׁ ַמע‬Moses heard the
people crying (who cried)(); Gn 21.9; Ex 5.20; 1Sm 10.5; 1Kg 22.17. Here also belong Ex 23.4 ‫כי‬
‫מרוֹ תּ ֶֹﬠה‬
ֹ ‫ ִת ְפגַּ ע שׁוֹר אֹיִ ְב� אוֹ ֲח‬should you come across an ox of your enemy or his donkey straying;
1Sm 9.11 … ‫י ְֹﬠאוֹת‬ ‫ ָמ ְצאוּ נְ ָﬠרוֹת‬they came across girls going out; Dt 22.22 ‫יִ ָמּ ֵצא אישׁ שׁ ֵֹכב ִﬠם־‬
… ‫ אשּׁה‬a man is found out lying with a woman …; Zc 3.1 �‫הוֹשׁ ַ� … ע ֵֹמד ִל ְפנֵ י ַמ ְל ַא‬
ֻ ְ‫וַ יַּ ְר ֵ֫אנִ י את־י‬
‫יהוה‬ and he showed me Joshua … standing …() The object may follow: 1Sm 2.24 ‫לוא־טובה‬
‫מוּﬠה אשׁר אנכי שׁ ֵֹמ ַ� ַמ ֲﬠ ִב ִרים ַﬠם־יהוה‬
ָ ‫ ַה ְשּׁ‬The report that I hear the people of the Lord passing
around is not good().
c
Substantive: (Predicative referring to the subject): 1Sm 13.17 ‫וַ יֵּ ֵצא ַה ַמּ ְשׁ ִחית ִמ ַמּ ֲחנֵ ה ְפ ִל ְשׁ ִתּים‬
‫אשׁים‬
ִ ‫לשׁה ָר‬
ָ ‫ ְשׁ‬the destroying army came out of the camp of the Philistines (in = in the state of) three
companies (cp. 11.11, § 125w); Jdg 9.34; 2Kg 5.2; Gn 17.12 ‫ָכּל־זָ ָכר‬ ‫ן־שׁמֹנַ ת יָ ִמים יִ מּוֹל ָל ֶכם‬
ְ ‫ ֶבּ‬when
they are eight days old, all your males shall be circumcised (the predicative in first position for
emphasis); 9.20: 38.11; Lv 6.9; Jr 31.8; 2Kg 7.3 ‫ ַא ְר ָבּ ָﬠה ֲאנָ ִשׁים ָהיוּ ְמצ ָֹר ִﬠים ֫ ֶפּ ַתח ַה ָ ֑שּׁ ַﬠר‬four
men were there (as) lepers at the entrance of the gate; 2Ch 26.21.
 (Predicative referring to the object): Gn 7.1 ‫ ;א ְֹת� ראיתי צדיק‬2Kg 8.13 �‫ִה ְר ַ֫אנִ י יהוה א ְֹת‬
‫על־א ָרם‬
ֲ �‫ ֶ֫מ ֶל‬Y. has shown you to me as the king of Syria; Ex 2.11 ‫וַ יַּ ְרא אישׁ ִמ ְצ ִרי ַמ ֶכּה אישׁ־‬
‫ ִﬠ ְב ִרי‬he saw an Egyptian (indeterminate object) striking a Hebrew; 2Kg 3.22 ‫מוֹאב … את־‬
ָ ‫וַ יִּ ְראוּ‬
‫ המים ֲא ֻד ִמּים‬and Moab saw … the water red; Gn 6.17 ‫ ִהנְ נִ י ֵמ ִביא את ַה ַמּבּוּל ַ֫מיִ ם‬I am about to
bring the flood in the form of waters.
ca
A prepositional phrase can also be a predicate of the object, though by definition such a phrase cannot
be in the accusative: Ex 5.19 ‫ וַ יִּ ְראוּ שׁ ְֹט ֵרי … בני־ישׂראל א ָֹתם ְבּ ָרע‬they saw that they were in
trouble.
d
Perhaps related to this discussion are cases like Mi 2.3 ‫רוֹמה‬
ָ ‫ לא ֵת ְלכוּ‬you shall not walk with head
high (in a high manner, haughtily); Lv 26.13 ‫קוֹמ ִמיּוּת‬
ְ (ditto); Is 60.14 �‫חוֹ‬
ַ ‫( ְשׁ‬in bowing = in a bent
manner); Dt 2.9; Josh 9.2 ‫ֶא ָחד‬ ‫ ֶפּה‬ore uno = unanimously (1Kg 22.13); Zp 3.9 ‫ ְשׁ ֶכם ֶא ָחד‬lit. with
one shoulder (on ‫אחד‬ ‫ קוֹל‬Ex 24.3, cf. § 125s). Some substantives thus used as accusatives of manner
ultimately take on an adverbial value (§ 102d): ‫ ֶ֫בּ ַטח‬safely Gn 34.25; ‫ישׁ ִרים‬
ָ ‫ ֵמ‬rightly Ct 1.4.
e
Likewise the substantive is predicative in some odd cases, like Is 21.8 (¿) ‫ַא ְריֵ ה‬ ‫ וַ יִּ ְק ָרא‬he cried (in
= like) a lion; Ps 22.14; Zc 2.8 it is (in an = like an) open city that Jerusalem shall be inhabited; Jb 24.5.
f
The predicative is a phrase when two members are closely associated(): Gn 32.31 ‫יתי אלהים‬
ִ ‫ָר ִ֫א‬
ָ ‫ ָפּנִ ים ֶא‬I have seen God face to face; Nu 12.8 ‫ל־פּה ֲא ַד ֶבּר־בּוֹ‬
‫ל־פּנִ ים‬ ֶ ‫ ֶפּה ֶא‬it is mouth to mouth that
I speak to him (the predicative phrase in first position for emphasis). Likewise probably in cases like Gn
19.1 ‫א ְר ָצה‬
ָ֑ ‫ וַ יִּ ְשׁ ַ֫תּחוּ ַא ֫ ַפּיִ ם‬and he worshipped with his face to the ground.
g
2) Accusative of limitation(). The part to which an expression is made to apply is in the accusative:
1Kg 15.23 ‫את־רגְ ָליו‬
ַ ‫ ָח ָלה‬he was ill (as to) his feet (‫ את‬is very rare with the accusative of limitation,
§ 125e)(); Gn 41.40 ָ‫ ַרק ַה ִכּ ֵסּא ֶאגְ ַדּל ִמ ֶ֫מּךּ‬it is only by (in respect of) the throne that I shall be greater
than you; Gn 17.11 ‫ָﬠ ְר ַל ְת ֶכם‬ ‫ וּנְ ַמ ְל ֶתּם את ְבּ ַשׂר‬and you shall circumcise yourselves (in respect of)
the flesh of your foreskin; Ex 6.3; ‫֫עֹ ֶרף‬ ‫ ָפּנָ ה‬to turn in respect of one’s back (= to turn one’s back) Josh
7.12; Jr 2.27; 32.33 (perh. also ‫֫עֹ ֶרף‬ �‫ ָה ַפ‬Josh 7.8); Jr 18.17 ‫לא־פנִ ים ֶא ְר ֵאם‬
ָ ְ‫ ֫עֹ ֶרף ו‬it is only a back
view and not a front view that I shall have of them. The accusative of limitation is probably also found
in the following cases() (with a transitive verb): Gn 37.21 ‫ָ ֑֫נ ֶפשׁ‬ ‫ לא נַ ֶ֫כּנּוּ‬we must not strike him to death
(in respect of the soul); Ps 3.8 ‫ֶל ִ֑חי‬ ‫יְבי‬
ַ ‫א‬ ֹ ‫ית את־כל־‬
ָ ‫ ִה ִ֫כּ‬you have struck all my enemies on the cheek,
2Sm 3.27; Dt 22.26; Gn 3.15 ‫רֹאשׁ‬ �‫שׁוּפ‬
ְ ְ‫י‬, it shall aim at your head; Dt 33.11; Jr 2.16.
h
3) Accusative of local determination. The place where one is (without motion) is usually preceded
by the preposition ‫ בּ‬in, or ‫ ל‬at. But sometimes the noun is not preceded by any preposition: it must then
be regarded as being in the accusative of determination. This accusative, which is not common outside
certain nouns, may have originated as an extension of the accusative of motion (§ 125n). In some cases
the labial ‫ ב‬may have been dropped by haplology before another ‫( ב‬especially before ‫) ַ֫בּיִ ת‬, or even
before another labial (especially ‫)() ֫ ֶפּ ַתח‬. Examples: 1Kg 8.32 ‫ ִתּ ְשׁ ַמע ַה ָשּׁ ַ֫מיִ ם‬you shall hear in heaven

(likewise vss. 34, 36, 39, 43, 45, 49; in the parallel 2Ch 6 we find (except vs. 27) ‫( מן־השּׁמים‬vss. 23,

25, 30, 33, 35, 39); 2Sm 17.26 ‫ַהגִּ ְל ַﬠד‬ ‫ וַ ִ֫יּ ַחן … ֶ֫א ֶרץ‬and he encamped in the land of Gilead. The local
accusative is found with the common names of the cardinal points ‫ ִמזְ ַרח ַה ָ ֑שּׁ ֶמשׁ‬in the orient Josh
1.15; ‫השׁמשׁ‬ ‫ ְמבוֹא‬in the (region of) the setting of the sun 1.4; 23.4 (comp. Pr 8.3 ‫ ְמבוֹא ְפ ָת ִחים‬after
two nouns with ‫;)ל‬ ‫ ִק ְד ַמת‬east of Gn 4.16. Likewise for at the place of the head, at the bed-head we
have ‫ ְמ ַר ֲאשׁ ָֹתיו‬1Sm 19.16 etc.; at the place of the feet ‫�תיו‬
ָ ְ‫ ַמ ְרגּ‬Ru 3.8 etc. The accusative is usual
with ‫ ֫ ֶפּ ַתח‬entrance followed by a genitive, e.g. Gn 18.1 ‫ח־הא ֶֹהל‬
ָ ‫ֶפּ ַת‬ ‫ישׁב‬
ֵ sitting at the entrance of
the tent (with ‫ ל‬Nu 11.10); Gn 19.11 ‫ַה ַ֫בּיִ ת‬ ‫ר־פּ ַתח‬
ֶ ֫ ‫( ֲא ֶשׁ‬with ‫ ל‬Pr 9.14; ‫ בּ‬Jr 43.9); Jdg 18.16 ‫נִ ָצּ ִבים‬
‫ ֫ ֶפּ ַתח ַה ַ֫שּׁ ַﬠר‬with ‫ בּ‬Jr 26.10; Ez 11.1). To sum up, at the entrance of is usually ‫ ֫ ֶפּ ַתח‬with the genitive
(only 4 x with ‫בּ‬, 2 x with ‫ ;)ל‬on the other hand, for at the entrance (without genitive) the acc. is never

found (2 x with ‫בּ‬, 1 x with ‫)()ל‬. Likewise the accusative is common with ‫ ַ֫בּיִ ת‬house() followed by a
genitive: Gn 24.23 ‫ ֲהיֵ שׁ ֵבּית ָא ִבי� ָמקוֹם‬is there any room in your father’s house? (= Fr. chez ton
père); 38.11 (but Nu 30.4 ‫יה‬
ָ ‫ ְבּ ֵבית ָא ִ֫ב‬for the sake of clarity); 2Sm 9.4; 2Kg 11.3 (15) ‫ ֵבּית יהוה‬in
the temple of Y.; Is 3.6; Mi 6.10; Jb 1.4 (but ‫ בּ‬verses 13, 18); Est 4.13. With the proper nouns ‫ית־ל ֶחם‬
ֶ ֫ ‫ֵבּ‬
1Sm 17.15; 2Sm 2.32; ‫ית־אל‬
ֵ ‫ ֵבּ‬2Kg 10.29 (followed by ‫ ְבּ ָדן‬in Dan); Ho 12.5. Contrast the proper
nouns with initial ‫ב‬: ‫ֶ֫שׁ ַבע‬ ‫( ִבּ ְב ֵאר‬6 x), and ‫( ְבּ ָב ֶבל‬8 x). Even when ‫ בית‬is followed by a genitive, ‫בּ‬
is quite common, e.g. Gn 39.20 (prison: likewise vs. 22; 40.5; 42.19; Ex 12.29; Jdg 16.21); after the verb
‫ ָהיָ ה‬e.g. Jdg 17.4, 12. ‫ בית‬not followed by a genitive, is not used in the accusative. (For ‫ ]¿[ ֵבּיתוֹ‬2Ch
33.20 cp. LXX and 2Kg 21.18).
i
4) Accusative of temporal determination. A temporal determination answering the questions
when?, how long?() is often in the accusative: Ps 55.18 ‫יחה‬
ָ ‫ָא ִ֫שׂ‬ ‫ ֫ ֶﬠרב וּ ֫בֹ ֶקר וְ ָצ ֳה ַ ֫ריִ ם‬in the evening,
in the morning and at noon I will cause my complaint to be heard (but with the article, we find ‫ָבּ ֫ ֶﬠ ֶרב‬

[4x ‫ערב‬ ‫] ְל ֵﬠת‬, ‫) ַבּ ֫בֹּ ֶקר‬, ‫וֹמם ;) ַבּ ָצּ ֳה ַ ֫ריִ ם‬

ָ by day (§ 102b); ‫ ַהיּוֹם‬this day = today (but ‫ ביום הזה‬on
this day, more emphatic); ‫ לילה‬by night (§ 93g); ‫ הלּילה‬this night, e.g. 2Sm 19.8 (but ‫בלילה ההוּא‬
Gn 26.24 during that night); ‫ ַﬠ ָתּה‬now (hoc tempore, § 93g; but ‫ההיא‬ ‫ ָבּ ֵﬠת‬at that same time, at that
time); ‫ ַה ָשּׁנָ ה‬this year Jr 28.16 (but ‫ההיא‬ ‫ בשׁנה‬Gn 26.12 in that year[]; however, we have 1Kg 17.1
‫[ ַה ָשּׁנִ ים ָה ֵ֫א ֶלּה‬in] these years); Gn 27.45 ‫( יוֹם ֶא ָחד‬in) one day;, 3.14 �‫ כל־יְ ֵמי ַח ֶ֫יּי‬all the days of
your life; Ex 20.9 ‫יָ ִמים‬ ‫ ֵ֫שׁ ֶשׁת‬for six days; vs. 11 in six days; with ‫( את‬rare with the acc. of time, §
125e): Ex 13.7 ‫ַהיָּ ִמים‬ ‫ את ִשׁ ְב ַﬠת‬during the seven days (‫ את‬again in Lv 25.22; Dt 9.25).
j
5) Accusative of measure. Gn 31.23 ‫יָ ִמים‬ ‫ וַ יִּ ְרדּ ֹף ַא ַח ָריו ֶ ֫דּ ֶר� ִשׁ ְב ַﬠת‬and he pursued him in the
space (way) of seven days; 7.20 ‫המּיִ ם‬
ָ֑ ‫ ֲח ֵמשׁ ֶﬠ ֶשׂ ֵרי ַא ָמּה ִמ ְל ַ֫מ ְﬠ ָלה ָגּ ְ֑ברוּ‬by fifteen cubits higher had
the waters risen (the acc. in first position); 43.34 Benjamin’s portion was by five times (parts) ‫ָח ֵמשׁ‬
‫ יָ דוֹת‬larger than that of all of them; prob. 1Sm 28.20 ‫א־קוֹמתוֹ‬
ָ ֹ ‫ וַ יִּ פֹּל ְמל‬he fell full length (with the
fullness of his stature) upon the ground.
k
6) For the accusative of cause, which is common in Arabic, probably the only instance is Is 7.25
‫ יִ ְר ַאת ָשׁ ִמיר‬by fear of the thorns (but the text is obscure and ‫ יראת‬could be the subject; cf. Dillmann
ad loc.).
l
7) The existence of an accusative of instrument is doubtful; the few instances that could be
mentioned can be explained otherwise. Thus Josh 7.25 ‫ ֶ֫א ֶבן‬may be an accusative of internal object
(Brockelmann, GvG, II. 306); likewise probably Pr 10.4 ‫( ַכּף‬GKC, § 117 t).

§127. Attributive accusative

a
On the analogy of the indirect accusative determining a predicate (§ 126a), the accusative is used for
the attribute (§ 121a, 2nd n.) of a noun(1) (or of a pronoun). The various kinds of accusative listed above
in § 126 can be considered as an attributive accusative.
1) Attributive accusative of state (cf. § 126a, b). Participle. (Absence of the article after a
determinate noun indicates that the participle is not in apposition, § 138a). There are quite a few examples
with ‫קוֹל‬: Gn 3.8 ‫ וַ יִּ ְשׁ ְמעוּ את־קוֹל יהוה אלהים ִמ ְת ַה ֵלּ� ַבּגָּ ן‬and they heard the noise of Y. God
walking about (as he was walking about) in the garden; Dt 5.23; Is 6.8; 1Kg 1.41 ‫קוֹל־ה ִקּ ְריָּ ה‬
ַ �‫דּוּ‬
ַ ‫ַמ‬
‫הוֹמה‬
ָ quare sonitus urbis (ut) strepentis? (= “what is the meaning of this tumult of the city that is
heard?”); 14.6 ‫ַב ֫ ֶפּ ַתח‬ ‫יה ָב ָ֫אה‬
ָ ‫ ִכּ ְשׁמ ַֹ� ֲא ִח ָ֫יּהוּ את־קוֹל ַרגְ ֫ ֶל‬when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet,
as she came in at the door (here the participle is an attribute of the pronominal suffix, which is assumed
to be in the genitive, § 94a); Ct 5.2. More examples: Hg 1.4 ‫יכם ְספוּנִ ים‬
ֶ ‫ ְבּ ָב ֵתּ‬in your houses (which
are at present) panelled; 1Kg 11.8; 2Kg 19.2; Jn 1.6; 1Ch 12.1; 21.16.
b
2) Attributive accusative of limitation (cf. § 126g): 2Sm 15.32 ‫ֻכּ ָתּנְ תּוֹ‬ �‫רוּ‬
ַ ‫ ָק‬torn as to his tunic
(whose tunic is torn.; § 121o); Jb 15.10 ‫יָ ִמים‬ �‫ ַכּ ִבּיר ֵמ ָא ִ֫בי‬older than your father (greater [as to the]
days)(); 11.9; 2Sm 21.20 ‫ ֶﬠ ְשׂ ִרים וְ ַא ְר ַבּע ִמ ְס ָפּר‬24 (in) number(); with the noun for the item numbered:

‫ ַא ַחד ָﬠ ָשׂר יוֹם‬11 days (11 as regards day) Dt 1.2 (cf. § 142e); 1Sm 26.18 ‫ה־בּיָ ִדי ָר ָﬠה‬
ְ ‫ ַמ‬what guilt
is on my hands? (cf. § 144d); 2Sm 15.2 ‫ַא ָתּה‬ ‫י־מזֶּ ה ִﬠיר‬
ִ ‫ ֵא‬from which city are you?; 1Sm 24.19 ‫את‬
‫טוֹבה‬
ָ ‫ית ִא ִתּי‬
ָ ‫ ֲא ֶשׁר ָﬠ ִ֫שׂ‬that which you have done to me as regards good; 2Kg 8.12. In Ez 47.4 ‫ַ֫מיִ ם‬
‫ ִבּ ְר ַ֫כּיִ ם‬can be explained as acc. of measure: water (at the height of) the knees; likewise probably ‫ַ֫מיִ ם‬
‫ ֫ ַל ַחץ‬1Kg 22.27 [= 2Ch 18.26]; Is 30.20: water (in the measure of) narrowness, i.e. of strict necessity, of
indispensability (= strictly necessary water).
c
Attributive accusative of determination (cf. § 126h–j): 1Sm 9.9 ‫ַלנָּ ִביא ַהיּוֹם יִ ָקּ ֵרא ְל ָפנִ ים‬
‫ ָהר ֶֹאה‬he who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer; 1Ch 28.18 ‫רוּבים זָ ָהב‬
ִ ‫ ַה ְכּ‬the
Cherubim in gold; perh. in ‫ַחיָּ ה‬ ‫ ָכּ ֵﬠת‬at the same time next year Gn 18.10 etc.().
d
Observation. Quite often neither the vocalisation of Hebrew nor a comparison with Arabic allows
us to determine whether we have an accusative, a genitive or an apposition, e.g. Jdg 3.15 ‫יַ ד־יְ ִמינוֹ‬ ‫ִא ֵטּר‬
weak (?) in the right arm (acc. or gen.); Gn 18.6 ‫ ְשׁלשׁ ְס ִאים ֶ ֫ק ַמח‬three measures of flour (acc. or
apposition)(2); in expressions of the type ‫יָ ִמים‬ ‫ ְשׁנָ ַ֫תיִ ם‬Gn 41.1 etc. two full (in days) years, there is an
apposition rather than an accusative (cf. § 131e). In Lv 5.15 ‫ף־שׁ ָק ִלים‬
ְ ‫ ֶ֫כּ ֶס‬silver of several shekels, there
may be a genitive, or an apposition, or even an accusative.

§128. Accusative with a passive verb

a
The indirect accusative can obviously be used with a passive verb. Likewise there is no difficulty in
the case of the accusative of internal object, e.g. Ex 21.12 ‫יוּמת‬
ַ ‫ מוֹת‬he shall be put to death; Is 45.17
‫עוֹל ִמים‬
ָ ‫שׁוּﬠת‬
ַ ‫נוֹשׁע ְתּ‬
ַ it has been saved with an everlasting salvation; and similarly for the accusative
of the effected object.
b
The accusative of the affected object is found with the impersonal passive: Gn 27.42 ‫וַ יֻּ גַּ ד‬
‫את־דּ ְב ֵרי ֵﬠ ָשׂו‬
ִ ‫ ְל ִר ְב ָקה‬it was announced (= sbd announced) to Rebekah the words of Esau. This
strange construction can probably be explained thus: in a form of impersonal passive such as ‫וַ יֻּ גַּ ד‬, the

transitive value of the corresponding active form ‫ ִהגִּ יד‬to announce persists in some way; thus ‫ וַ יֻּ גַּ ד‬and
it was announced is felt to be like someone announced(). That is how the variously explained(4) hybrid
construction legitur Virgilium, in the sense of one reads Virgil, developed in Mediaeval Latin besides
the classical construction legitur Virgilius. Similarly in Italian a reflexive form such as si vede ends up
with the meaning of one sees, e.g. la casa si vede: “the house sees itself = is seen”, but si vede la casa:
“one sees the house”; lo si vede: “one sees it”; si compra, si vende mobili: “one buys, one sells
furniture”(). More examples: 2Sm 21.11 and 1Kg 18.13 (again with ‫ ֻהגַּ ד‬someone announced); Nu 32.5

‫ יֻ ַתּן את־הארץ הזאת‬let one give this land; 1Kg 2.21 (‫ יֻ ַתּן‬again); Gn 4.18 ‫את־ﬠ ָירד‬
ִ �‫וַ יִּ וָּ ֵלד ַל ֲחנוֹ‬
and it was born (sbd bore) Irad to Enoch (= to Enoch was born Irad) (again with ‫נוֹלד‬
ַ 21.5; 46.20; Nu
26.60); Jr 35.14 ‫יְ הוֹנָ ָדב‬ ‫את־דּ ְב ֵרי‬
ִ ‫הוּקם‬
ַ one has carried out Jonadab’s orders; Ex 21.28 ‫לא יֵ ָא ֵכל‬
‫את־בּ ָשׂרוֹ‬
ְ one shall not eat its flesh; 13.7 ‫ ַמצּוֹת יֵ ָא ֵכל‬one shall eat unleavened bread (without ‫את‬

because of the indetermination); Lv 6.13 (Nu 7.10) ‫אֹתוֹ‬ ‫ ְבּיוֹם ִה ָמּ ַשׁח‬on the day when one shall anoint
him (with pronoun); Nu 11.22 ‫וּמ ָצא‬
ָ ‫את־כל־דּגֵ י ַהיָּ ם יֵ ָא ֵסף ָל ֶהם‬
ְ ‫וּמ ָצא ָל ֶ ֑הם ִאם‬
ָ ‫יִ ָשּׁ ֵחט ָל ֶהם‬
‫ ָל ֶהם‬Would it, if one were to slaughter for them sheep and oxen, be enough for them? Would it, if one
were to gather for them all the fish of the sea, be enough for them? (In § a the construction is the same
as in § b, but ‫ את‬is omitted before the indeterminate noun). In Josh 7.15 ‫ ַהנִּ ְל ָכּד‬is in the nominative
and ‫ יִ ָשּׂ ֵרף‬is impersonal passive: he shall be burnt; then the sentence proceeds, while assuming an
impersonal passive meaning for this same form: [one shall burn him] him and all that he has. See further:
Gn 17.5; 21.8; 40.20; Ex 25.28; 27.7; Nu 26.55 (contr. 53); Is 21.2; Jr 50.20; Ps 87.3 (with participle).
The impersonal character of this construction is evident in the use of the 3m.sg. form of the verb
irrespective of the gender and number of the logical object. But see Jr 36.22 ‫ְמב ָ ֹֽﬠ ֶרת‬ ‫ואת־האח ְל ָפנָ יו‬
ָ
and there was a fire in the brazier burning before him; 2Sm 21.22 ‫יֻ ְלּדוּ‬ ‫את־א ְר ַ֫בּ ַﬠת ֵ֫א ֶלּה‬
ַ ; 2Kg 18.30

‫ולא ִתנָּ ֵתן את־העיר הזאת‬.

ba
The impersonal passive can also occur with an indirect object: e.g. Ez 16.34 ‫זוּנָּ ה‬ ‫ ַא ֲח ַ ֫ריִ � לא‬you
were not solicited; 2Sm 17.16 �‫ ֶפּן יְ ֻב ַלּע ַל ֶ֫מּ ֶל‬lest the king be swallowed up; Dt 21.3 ‫ֶﬠגְ ַלת ָבּ ָקר‬
‫לא־ﬠ ַבּד ָבּהּ‬
ֻ ‫ ֲא ֶשׁר‬a heifer with which no work has been done; Ex 29.33; Is 53.5; La 5.5().
c
The second object of a doubly transitive verb remains in the accusative when the verb is used
passively (cf. § 125u–w). Thus, in the case of § 125u, the type ‫את־כּבוֹדוֹ‬
ְ ‫ ֶה ְר ָ֫אנוּ‬Dt 5.21 he has caused
us to see (= has shown) his glory would become in the passive: ‫את־כבודו‬ ‫ ָה ְר ֵ֫אינוּ‬we have been made
to see his glory = his glory has been shown to us, e.g. Ex 26.30 ‫ית‬
ָ ‫ָה ְר ֵ֫א‬ ‫ ְכּ ִמ ְשׁ ָפּטוֹ אשׁר‬according to
its model which was shown to you (‫ אשׁר‬virtually in the acc. = ‫אֹתוֹ‬ ‫ ;)א׳ הר׳‬25.40 (ditto); Gn 31.15
‫ ; ֲהלוֹא נָ ְכ ִריּוֹת נֶ ְח ַ֫שׁ ְבנוּ לוֹ‬Dt 2.20 ‫אף־הוא‬
ִ ‫ארץ־ר ָפ ִאים ֵתּ ָח ֵשׁב‬
ְ . Strangely enough, in Lv 13.49

the first (logical) object is in the acc.: ‫את־הכהן‬ ‫( וְ ָה ְר ָאה‬the wound) shall be shown to the priest (one
would expect ‫הכהן‬ ‫)וְ ָה ְר ָאה אֹתוֹ‬. More examples: Jb 7.3; perh. Is 1.20¿. With the verbs of abundance
and lack, the verbs of wearing and taking off: Ex 1.7 ‫ וַ ִתּ ָמּ ֵלא הארץ א ָֹתם‬the land was filled with
them(); Is 6.4; 38.10; Ps 80.11 ‫ ָכּסּוּ ָה ִרים ִצ ָלּהּ‬the mountains were covered with its shadow; Jn 3.8
‫ יִ ְת ַכּסּוּ ַשׂ ִקּים‬as against 2Kg 19.1 ‫וַ יִּ ְת ַכּס ַבּ ָ֔שּׂק‬. (See also the examples with the participle, § 121o).
In the case of § 125v: 1Kg 6.7(¿) ‫נִ ְבנָ ה‬ ‫( ֶ֫א ֶבן ְשׁ ֵל ָמה‬the house) was built of whole stones (cp. Dt 27.6).
In the case of § 125w: Mi 3.12 ‫ֵת ָח ֵרשׁ‬ ‫ ִציּוֹן ָשׂ ֶדה‬Sion (in) agrum arabitur = Zion shall be ploughed
(as) a field (= Jr 26.18); Is 6.11; 24.12; Zc 14.4 (cp. Hb 3.9, quoted in § 125w).
d
Unlike in English, in which both an indirect object and a direct object can become the subject of a
passive clause, Hebrew does not allow an indirect object to be transformed into the subject. Thus I was
given the city can only be expressed as ‫נִ ְתּנָ ה ִלי ָה ִﬠיר‬, but not as ‫)(נִ ַ֫תּ ִתּי העיר‬. Hence we find Est
5.6, 9.12 �‫ה־שּׁ ֵא ָל ֵת� וְ יִ נָּ ֵתן ָל‬
ְ ‫ ַמ‬what is your wish? It will be granted you cannot be translated back
into … ‫)(וְ ִתנָּ ְתנִ י‬. In the Bible there occur a total of 82 Nifal forms of ‫נָ ַתן‬, all genuine passives, in none
of which a recipient is marked as the grammatical subject. In the case of a Qal passive such as Nu 26.54
‫אישׁ ְל ִפי ְפ ֻק ָדיו יֻ ַתּן נַ ֲח ָלתוֹ‬ every person shall be given his inheritance in accordance with his

enrolment we are not inclined to analyse ‫ אישׁ‬as the grammatical subject of the verb; it is part of an
idiomatic distributive construction as in Gn 40.5 ‫ֲח�מוֹ‬ ‫יהם אישׁ‬
ֶ ֶ‫ וַ יַּ ְח ְלמוּ ֲחלוֹם ְשׁנ‬the two of them
had a dream, each his own dream, and the very discord in gender, just as in the Est passages cited above,
indicates that we are dealing here with an impersonal passive construction (§ b). The same analysis holds
for a verb such as Hof. ‫ ֻהגַּ ד‬. Pu. ‫יתה‬
ָ ‫ ֻצ ֵ ֫וּ‬you were ordered Gn 44.19 and the like must be, despite its
semantic affinity with ‫ ֻהגַּ ד‬, analysed differently, for Pi. ‫ ִצוָּ ה‬, when meaning ‘to issue a command to,’ is
a doubly transitive verb; see § c.

§129. Genitive and construct state

a
While the accusative is the verbal (§ 125a) and ad-verbial case, the genitive is the ad-nominal case.
Indeed a noun which is the attribute (§ 121a, n.) of another noun is usually put in the genitive(1). The
genitive relationship() is expressed by the close phonetic union of the two nouns, the first of which is
said to be constructed on the second (§ 92a). The construct state is the formal expression of the genitive
relationship(). The two nouns put in a genitive relationship form a compact unit, and theoretically
nothing must separate them().
The sequence of the two constituents is typical of Hebrew syntax in that the qualified precedes the
qualifier as is the case in ‫ָח ָכם‬ ‫“ ִאישׁ‬a wise man,” ‫“ ָה ִאישׁ ַהזֶּ ה‬this man,” and ‫יתי‬
ִ ‫ָה ִאישׁ ֲא ֶשׁר ָר ִ֫א‬
‫“ ָא ִביו‬the man whose father I saw.”
Consequently a complex idea such as the sons of David and the daughters of David, which in some
languages is elliptically expressed as the sons and daughters of David, cannot be expressed by ‫ְבּנֵ י‬
‫וּבנוֹת ָדּוִ ד‬
ְ *, for the construct state ‫ְבּנֵ י‬ would be separated from its resting point: it would be
constructed, as it were, in cantilever and would not lean on a resting point(). Therefore the expression
must be translated ‫ובנותיו‬ ‫בני דוד‬. This is the usual construction: Gn 41.8 the magicians of Egypt and
its wise men; Jdg 8.14; 1Kg 8.28; 2Kg 2.12. An alternative would be quite simply ‫והבנות‬ ‫בני דוד‬, but
this is a less common construction: Gn 40.1 ‫א ֶפה‬
ֹ ‫וְ ָה‬ ‫ ַמ ְשׁ ֵקה ֶ֫מ ֶל� מצרים‬the cup-bearer and the baker
of the king of Egypt(). Finally in some cases (§ 130) one must resort to a circumlocution with ‫ל‬: ‫ַה ָבּנִ ים‬
‫ והבּנוֹת ֲא ֶשׁר ְלדוד‬the sons and the daughters of (= who belong to) David, e.g. Gn 40.5 ‫המשׁקה‬
‫והאפה למלך מצרים‬.
b
But a nomen regens() can refer to several juxtaposed genitives; in other words, it is not necessary
to repeat the nomen regens before each genitive(). Its repetition or non-repetition depends on the
meaning, the style and also the usage of each period(5): Gn 24.3 ‫הארץ‬ ‫ביהוה אלהי השׁמים ואלהי‬
(in a solemn adjuration), but 14.19 ‫וָ ָ֫א ֶרץ‬ ‫ ; ֵאל ֶﬠ ְליוֹן קֹנֵ ה שׁמים‬2Kg 3.13 ‫יאי ָא ִ֫בי� וְ ֶאל־‬
ֵ ‫ֵל� ֶאל־נְ ִב‬
ֵ ‫( נְ ִב‬they are the same prophets); 10.13; 1Sm 23.7 �‫וּב ִר ַי‬
�‫יאי ִא ֵ ֑מּ‬ ְ ‫ ִﬠיר ְדּ ָל ַ֫תיִ ם‬a city with gates and
bars; Jl 2.2 ‫וַ ֲﬠ ָר ֵפל‬ ‫חשׁ� וַ ֲא ֵפ ָלה יוֹם ָﬠנָ ן‬
ֶ ‫ יוֹם‬a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick
mist; Nu 31.52 ‫ַה ֵמּאוֹת‬ ‫וּמ ֵאת ָשׂ ֵרי‬
ֵ ‫ ֵמ ֵאת ָשׂ ֵרי ָה ֲא ָל ִפים‬, but vs. 54 ‫שׂרי האלפים והמאוֹת‬. With
‫יְ ֵמי‬: Is 1.1 ‫יוֹתם ָא ָחז יְ ִחזְ ִק ָ֫יּהוּ‬
ָ ‫ימי ֻﬠזִּ ָ֫יּהוּ‬
ֵ ‫ ; ִבּ‬in Nehemiah ‫ ימי‬is repeated when different times are
mentioned, and it is not repeated in the opposite case (cf. Ne 12.26, 47; 12.22, 46); ‫ ַﬠ ְצמוֹת‬is repeated
five times in Jr 8.1().
c
A genitive may govern a third or any further subsequent noun: Gn 47.9 ‫ֲאב ַֹתי‬ ‫ יְ ֵמי ְשׁנֵ י ַחיֵּ י‬the days
of the years of the life of my fathers; 41.10 (4 nouns); Is 21.17 (6 nouns). Sometimes a ‫ ל‬can break the
chain of genitives (§ 130c). In such a chain the syntactic relationship between its constituents could
become ambiguous: e.g., Nu 25.13 ‫עוֹלם‬
ָ ‫ ְבּ ִרית ְכּ ֻהנַּ ת‬a covenant of eternal priesthood where the LXX
has διαθήκη ἱερατείας αἰωνία an eternal covenant of priesthood.
d
Kinds of genitives. Most of the possible relationships between two mutually dependent nouns can
be expressed by the genitive construction. Note in particular the following genitives()
A) Subjective genitive: 1) genitive of the subject possessing or owning a thing, a quality etc.: ‫יכל‬
ַ ‫ֵה‬
‫ יהוה‬the temple of Y.; ‫ ִא ְשׁתּוֹ‬his wife(); ‫ ָח ְכ ַמת שׁ�מֹה‬the wisdom of Solomon; 1Kg 10.9 ‫ַא ֲה ַבת‬
‫ יהוה‬the love which Y. has; Lv 10.3 ‫ ְקר ֹ ַבי‬they who come near me (= ‫ ְקר ִֹבים ֵא ַלי‬Ez 43.19, or ‫ק׳ לי‬
42.13); Ne 5.14 ‫ ֫ ֶל ֶחם ַה ֶפּ ָהה‬the food owed to the governor; 2Sm 16.8 �‫ ָר ָﬠ ֶ֔ת‬the punishment which
you deserve; Jdg 11.19 ‫קוֹמי‬
ִ ‫ ְמ‬the place where I must go. In a case such as ‫ ָפּנַ י‬my face we are dealing
with a relationship of inalienable possession.
2) Genitive of the subject, who is the author of something: ‫ ְדּ ַבר יהוה‬the word of Y.; Gn 24.33
‫ ְדּ ָב ַרי‬the words which I have to say (that I must say); 2Ch 24.6 ‫משׁה‬
ֶ ‫ ַמ ְשׂ ַאת‬the tax prescribed by
Moses.
e
 B) Objective genitive, in which the first noun indicates an action performed to, for, or against a
person indicated by the second noun: Pr 20.2 �‫ֶ֫מ ֶל‬ ‫ימת‬
ַ ‫ ֵא‬the fear (one has) of the king; Am 8.10 ‫ֵ֫א ֶבל‬
‫ יָ ִחיד‬the mourning for an only son; Ob 10 �‫ ֲח ַמס ָא ִ֫חי‬injustice against your brother; Gn 24.8 ‫בוּﬠ ִתי‬
ָ ‫ְשׁ‬
the oath sworn in my favour, Ps 56.13 �‫ נְ ָד ֶ ֫רי‬vows to you; Jr 50.28 ‫יכלוֹ‬
ָ ‫ נִ ְק ַמת ֵה‬vengeance for his
temple (but ibid. ‫ נִ ְק ַמת יהוה‬subjective genitive); Dt 4.31 �‫ ְבּ ִרית ֲאב ֶֹ֫תי‬the pact with your fathers
(for ‫ את‬or ‫ ;)עם‬Is 32.2 ‫ֶ֫ז ֶרם‬ ‫ ֵ֫ס ֶתר‬shelter against the rain (for ‫)()מן‬.
f
C) The other genitives are mainly:
1) the genitive of the quality expressed by an abstract noun (which often makes up for the lack of
adjectives): Ex 29.29 ‫ ִבּגְ ֵדי ַה ֫קֹּ ֶדשׁ‬the garments of holiness (= the holy garments); Lv 10.17 ‫ְמקוֹם‬
‫ ַה ֫קֹּ ֶדשׁ‬the holy place (= the sanctuary)(); Lv 19.36 ‫ מֹאזְ נֵ י ֶ֫צ ֶדק‬scales of justice (just scales)(); Ex 5.9
‫ ִדּ ְב ֵרי ֶ֫שׁ ֵקר‬deceptive words; 1Kg 20.31 ‫ ַמ ְל ֵכי ֶ֫ח ֶסד‬merciful kings; Gn 17.8 ‫עוֹלם‬
ָ ‫ ֲא ֻחזַּ ת‬possession
in perpetuity; Jdg 11.1 ‫ַ֫חיִ ל‬ ‫ גִּ בּוֹר‬valiant warrior; Pr 1.10 ‫ ִלוְ יַ ת ֵחן‬charming crown.
2) genitive of whole: Gn 8.9 ‫ף־רגְ ָלהּ‬
ַ ‫ ַכּ‬the sole of her foot; Ne 13.4 ‫ ִל ְשׁ ַכּת ֵבּית אלהינו‬the
chambers of the house of our God.
3) genitive of genus: Dt 23.15 ‫ ֶﬠ ְרוַ ת ָדּ ָבר‬impropriety of a thing (= something improper); 22.14
‫ ֲﬠ ִל ַילת ְדּ ָב ִרים‬certain guilty actions; Gn 16.12 ‫ ֫ ֶפּ ֶרא ָא ָדם‬a wild ass of a man; Ez 36.38 ‫צֹאן ָא ָדם‬
human herd.
4) genitive of species: Gn 23.4 ‫ת־ק ֶבר‬
֫ ֶ ַ‫ ֲא ֻחזּ‬possession in the form of a tomb.
5) genitive of material(): Ex 20.24 ‫ ִמזְ ַבּח ֲא ָד ָמה‬altar of earth; Josh 7.21 ‫ ְלשׁוֹן זָ ָהב‬tongue of
gold.
6) genitive of measure(): Lv 14.12 ‫ַה ֶ֫שּׁ ֶמן‬ ‫ �ג‬the log of oil.
7) genitive of proper noun(): Gn 15.18 ‫ נְ ַהר ְפּ ָרת‬the river (of) Euphrates; 13.12 ‫ ֶ֫א ֶרץ ְכּ ַ֫נ ַﬠן‬the
land of Canaan; Jr 18.13 ‫ישׂראל‬ ‫תוּלת‬
ַ ‫ ְבּ‬the virgin (of) Israel; Is 37.22 ‫ ַבּת ירושׁלם‬the daughter (of)
Jerusalem(). Compare the use of the indefinite pronoun ‫ ְפּ�נִ י‬: 1Sm 21.3 (2Kg 6.8) ‫ַא ְלמֹנִ י‬ ‫ְמקוֹם ְפּ�נִ י‬
such and such a place (§ 147f). Perhaps ‫יהוה‬ ‫ ֵשׁם‬as in Ps 113.2.
8) partitive genitive: 2Ch 21.17 ‫ָבּנָ יו‬ ‫ ְקטֹן‬the youngest of his sons (§ 141e); Gn 22.2 ‫ַא ַחד ֶה ָה ִרים‬
one of the mountains(); Jdg 5.29 ‫יה‬
ָ ‫רוֹת‬
ֶ֫ ‫ָשׂ‬ ‫ ַח ְכמוֹת‬the wisest amongst her ladies.
9) genitive of relation: ‫ ָא ִבי‬my father, ‫ישׂראל‬ �‫ ֶ֫מ ֶל‬the king of Israel.
 10) genitive of origin: ‫משׁה‬ ‫ ִדּ ְב ֵרי‬the words of Moses; ‫ ַמ ְל ַא� יהוה‬the angel sent by Y.
11) genitive of time or place: Am 3.15 ‫ ֵבּית ַה ַ ֫קּיִ ץ‬the summer house; 2Sm 5.7 ‫צוּדת ִציּוֹן‬
ַ ‫ ְמ‬the
fortress at Zion.
12) genitive of membership: 1Sm 10.5 ‫נביאים‬ ‫ ֶ֫ח ֶבל‬a band of prophets; ‫כל־בּנָ יו‬
ָ the whole of his
sons, all his sons.
13) genitive of action: Gn 27.41 ‫ֵ֫א ֶבל‬ ‫ יְ ֵמי‬days of mourning; 27.2 ‫מוֹתי‬
ִ ‫ יום‬the day of my death.
14) genitive of topic: 1Kg 14.19 ‫ַהיָּ ִמים‬ ‫ ֵ֫ס ֶפר ִדּ ְב ֵרי‬the history book; Ex 12.43 ‫ ֻח ַקּת ַה ֫ ָפּ ַסח‬the
ordinance concerning the passover.
15) genitive of purpose: Nu 35.11 ‫ִמ ְק ָלט‬ ‫ ָﬠ ֵרי‬cities of refuge: 1Ch 28.2 ‫נוּחה‬
ָ ‫ ֵבּית ְמ‬resting place;
Jdg 18.11 ‫ִמ ְל ָח ָמה‬ ‫ ְכּ ֵלי‬weapons.
g
The genitive is also used to express various other determinations: Is 10.6 ‫ ַﬠם ֶﬠ ְב ָר ִתי‬the people
(object) of my anger, Jr 7.29; 1Kg 20.42 ‫ אישׁ ֶח ְר ִמי‬the man (object) of my anathema (whom I have
doomed to anathema); Ps 107.30 ‫ֶח ְפ ָצם‬ ‫ ְמחוֹז‬the haven (object) of their desire; Pr 5.19 ‫ַא ֶ֫יּ ֶלת ֲא ָה ִבים‬
hind (object) of love (= cerva carissima, Vulg.); 1Sm 20.14 ‫ ֶ֫ח ֶסד יהוה‬kindness inspired by Y. or worthy

of Y.; Ps 51.19 ‫ זִ ְב ֵחי אלהים‬sacrifices (pleasing) to God; 29.2 (96.8†) ‫ ְכּבוֹד ְשׁמוֹ‬glory due to (or
worthy of) his name; 1Kg 2.43 ‫ ְשׁ ֻב ַﬠת יהוה‬oath by Y.; 2Sm 5.11 ‫ ָח ָר ֵשׁי ֵﬠץ‬workers in wood; 1Kg
19.6 ‫ ֻﬠגַ ת ְר ָצ ִפים‬biscuit (baked) on burning stones; Josh 5.9 ‫מצרים‬ ‫ ֶח ְר ַפּת‬the disgrace (dating from)
of Egypt.
h
The notion of dative is quite often expressed by the genitive (most examples are with the possessive
pronoun, which is assumed to be in the genitive, § 94a): Ex 3.21 ‫את־חן העם־הזה ְבּ ֵﬠינֵ י‬
ֵ ‫וְ נָ ַת ִ֫תּי‬
‫ מצרים‬I will create a favourable condition for this people in the eyes of the Egyptians() (but with a
pronoun Gn 39.21 ‫ ;) ִחנּוֹ‬Ex 2.9 �‫את־שׂ ָכ ֵר‬
ְ ‫( ֶא ֵתּן‬LXX δώσω σοι τὸν μισθόν); Jdg 4.9 ‫לא ִתּ ְהיֶ ה‬
ְ the glory shall not be yours; Dt 28.59 �‫את־מכּ ְֹת‬
�‫תּפ ַא ְר ְתּ‬ ַ ‫ וְ ִה ְפ ָלא‬he will make you great wounds
(he will make your wounds great); Ec 2.4 ‫שׂי‬
֑ ָ ‫ַמ ֲﬠ‬ ‫ ִהגְ ַ ֫דּ ְל ִתּי‬I made myself great works; 1Kg 14.15 they
have made themselves Asherim; Ps 20.3 may he send you help. See also Lv 26.4; Ez 27.10; Jb 5.23; 18.10.
i
 Adjectives with the genitive mainly express limitation(): Gn 39.6 ‫ת ַֹאר‬ ‫ יְ ֵפה‬beautiful of form; 41.4
‫ ַה ָפּרוֹת ָרעוֹת ַה ַמּ ְר ֶאה‬the cows bad in appearance (if ‫ רעוֹת‬were not construct, it would have the
article, and not ‫ ;)מ׳‬Ex 34.6 ‫ ֶ֫א ֶר� ַא ֫ ַפּיִ ם‬slow to anger (μακρόθυμος, longanimis) = patient; Ps 119.1
�‫ימי ֶ ֫ד ֶר‬
ֵ ‫ ְתּ ִמ‬wholesome in behaviour; Is 6.5 ‫א־שׂ ָפ ַ֫תיִ ם‬
ְ ‫ ְט ֵמ‬impure of lips (= with impure lips).
It sometimes expresses cause: Lv 22.4 (Hg 2.13) ‫א־נ ֶפשׁ‬
ֶ ֫ ‫ ְט ֵמ‬impure by (the fact of) a corpse; Nu
19.16 ‫ֶ֫ח ֶרב‬ ‫ ֲח ַלל‬killed by the sword (‫ ָח ָלל‬, originally pierced, has become a substantive: victim of the
sword). Note also Ct 2.5 ‫ַא ֲה ָבה‬ ‫חוֹלת‬
ַ love-sick.
For the participle with the genitive cf. § 121m–p, e.g. limitation (§ 121o) ‫רוּﬠי ְבגָ ִדים‬
ֵ ‫ ְק‬2Sm 13.31;
cause § 121p.
ia
The syntax displayed by many examples of the structure under discussion in § i is interesting in that,
in spite of the formal agreement between the first noun and the following adjective or participle, the
subject-predicate relationship is in reality between the latter and the second noun(). Thus in Ex 32.9 ‫ַﬠם‬
‫ ְק ֵשׁה־ ֫עֹ ֶרף‬a stiff-necked people, the adjective ‫ ָק ֶשׁה‬is an attribute of ‫ ֫עֹ ֶרף‬, as can be seen in expressions
such as Do not stiffen your neck any longer: in the light of a usage such as 1Sm 25.3 ‫ָק ֶשׁה‬ ‫ ָה ִאישׁ‬the
man was rough, the adjective in ‫ עם קשׁה‬would have a different connotation. Likewise 1Sm 1.15
�‫ת־רוּ‬
ַ ‫)( ִא ָשּׁה ְק ַשׁ‬.
This construction can also occur with active participles: e.g., the well-known expression ‫ֶ֫א ֶרץ זָ ַבת‬
‫ ָח ָלב ְוּד ַבשׁ‬a land flowing with milk and honey in which the logical subject of the participle is clearly
‫)( ָח ָלב ְוּד ַבשׁ‬. In addition to a passive participle mentioned in § i end, one can also mention Ps 147.3
‫בוּרי ֵלב‬
ֵ ‫ ְשׁ‬broken-hearted; Is 3.16 ‫ נְ טוּיוֹת גָּ רוֹן‬with their necks outstretched; 2Kg 5.1 ‫ נְ ֻשׂא ָפנִ ים‬in
high favour; Ps 32.1 ‫ֲח ָט ָאה‬ ‫ נְ שׂוּי ֫ ֶפּ ַשׁע ְכּסוּי‬with his iniquities forgiven and his sins covered.
On occasion the first noun is not explicitly mentioned, but can be supplied from the context: e.g., Ps
34.19 �‫י‬
ַ ‫יוֹשׁ‬
ִ �‫רוּ‬
ַ ‫ ָקרוֹב יהוה ְלנִ ְשׁ ְבּ ֵרי־לב ואת ַדּ ְכּ ֵאי‬the Lord is near to the broken-hearted and he
will rescue those whose spirit is crushed.
j
Genitive phrases with ‫ ִאישׁ‬, ‫ ַ֫בּ ַﬠל‬and ‫ ֶבּן־‬. These nouns, constructed on another (usually concrete)
noun, express the possessor of a quality().
 With ‫( ִאישׁ‬and similarly ‫ ְמ ֵתי‬men of; ‫ ֵ֫א ֶשׁת‬woman of): 2Sm 16.7 ‫ָדּ ִמים‬ ‫ ִאישׁ‬man of (shed) blood
= bloodthirsty man; Ex 4.10 ‫ אישׁ ְדּ ָב ִרים‬man of words = eloquent man; 1Kg 2.26 ‫ אישׁ ָ֫מוֶ ת‬man
worthy of death (2Sm 19.29) (comp. ‫ן־מוֶ ת‬
ָ֫ ‫ ֶבּ‬with the same meaning); 1Sm 25.25 ‫ַה ְבּ ִל ַ֫יּ ַﬠל‬ ‫ אישׁ‬good-
for-nothing (also with ‫ ;)בּן‬Gn 6.4 ‫ ַאנְ ֵשׁי ַה ֵשּׁם‬the famous men; Pr 31.10 ‫( ֵ֫א ֶשׁת ַ֫חיִ ל‬LXX: γυναῖκα
ἀνδρεῖαν ‘an industrious woman’).
With ‫ ַבּ ַﬠל‬owner of, master, lord: Gn 37.19 ‫ַה ֲח�מוֹת‬ ‫ בעל‬the man with the dreams, the dreamer,
14.13 ‫ְב ִרית‬ ‫ ַבּ ֲﬠ ֵלי‬allies; 1Sm 28.7 ‫( ַבּ ֲﬠ ַלת־אוֹב‬woman) who has a spirit = necromancer.
With ‫ ֶבּן־‬: 1Sm 20.31 ‫בן־מוֶ ת‬
ָ֫ who deserves death (cp. ‫ ;)אישׁ מות‬25.17 ‫ן־בּ ִל ַ֫יּ ַﬠל‬
ְ ‫ ֶבּ‬good-for-
nothing (cp. ‫ ;)אישׁ בליעל‬1Kg 1.52 ‫בן־חיִ ל‬
ַ֫ virtuous; to indicate age: Gn 21.5 ‫ן־מ ַאת ָשׁנָ ה‬
ְ ‫ ֶבּ‬one
hundred years old; Ex 12.5 ‫ ֶבּן־ ָשׁנָ ה‬a one-year-old (lamb), but ‫בן־שׁנָ תוֹ‬
ְ Lv 12.6 (lamb) of the year().

‫ ֶבּן־‬is also used to indicate that an individual belongs to a class of beings: Ez 2.1 ‫בן־א ָדם‬
ָ an

individual of the human species, a human, a man (homo) as belonging to the species; Ps 29.1 ‫ֵא ִלים‬ ‫ְבּנֵ י‬
individuals belonging to the ‫ ֵא ִלים‬, divine beings (cp. Gn 6.2 ‫האלהים‬ ‫ ְבּנֵ י‬and ‫) ְבּנוֹת ָה ָא ָדם‬. But the
‫ ְבּנֵ י ַהנְּ ִב ִאים‬are disciples of the prophets, not prophets properly speaking().
k
Some genitive phrases with superlative or elative meaning are found with an abstract noun as their
nomen regens(): Gn 23.6 ‫ְק ָב ֵ ֫רינוּ‬ ‫ ִמ ְב ַחר‬the choice of our tombs = the choicest of our tombs; Is 37.24
‫קוֹמת ֲא ָרזָ יו‬
ַ the height of its cedars = its very tall cedars (= 2Kg 19.23).
ka
When the nomen rectum denotes an animate entity, it may be turned into a suffix, thus ‫יהוה‬ ‫יִ ְר ַאת‬,
whether it means the fear shown by Y. (subj. gen.: § d, e.g. Jb 4.6) or the fear directed towards Y. (obj.
gen.: § e, e.g. Dt 2.25) > ‫יִ ְר ָאתוֹ‬. By contrast, where the nomen rectum denotes an inanimate entity, such

a transformation is more restricted. Thus Ex 27.1 ‫קוֹמתוֹ‬

ָ = �ַ ‫ִמזְ ֵבּ‬ ‫קוֹמת‬
ַ the height of an altar, but one
can hardly transform Is 32.2 ‫זֶ ֶרם‬ ‫ ֵ֫ס ֶתר‬shelter against the rain to ‫ ִס ְתרוֹ‬nor Lv 19.36 ‫ ָמאזְ נֵ י ֶ֫צ ֶדק‬just
scales to ‫ ָמאזְ נָ יו‬. This restriction applies to most of the categories mentioned above at § f (possibly
except [8–10, 12]), g, i, j, and k.
kb
In most of the cases where the restriction mentioned under § ka applies a pronominal suffix can be
attached to the nomen rectum where such a pronoun relates to the entire construct phrase, effectively to
the nomen regens. Thus Lv 22.2 ‫ ַשׁם ָק ְד ִשׁי‬my holy name (LXX: τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἅγιόν μου); Is 58.13
‫ ְבּיום ָק ְד ִשׁי‬on my holy day (ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἁγίᾳ), cf. Ne 8.10 ‫ ; ָקדוֹשׁ היום לאדנינו‬Dt 1.41 ‫ְכּ ֵלי‬
‫ ִמ ְל ַח ְמתּוֹ‬his battle gear (τὰ σκεύη τὰ πολεμικὰ αὐτοῦ); Ps 48.2 ‫ הר ָק ְדשׁוֹ‬his holy mount, cf. Ez 28.14
‫ ;הר ק ֶֹדשׁ אלהים‬Pr 24.31 ‫ ֫ ֶג ֶדר ֲא ָבנָ יו‬his stone fence.
l
Extension of the genitive construction and of the construct state The construct state is found not
only before a noun (substantive or adjective), but sometimes also before an adverb or a preposition(). It
can also be found before a clause (treated as a nominal block, § p). Finally the cst. state is sometimes
used outside a genitive relationship, as a light linking form (§ r).
With an adverb (very rarely): Ex 27.13 ‫ֵ ֫ק ְד ָמה‬ ‫ ְפּ ַאת‬the east side; 1Kg 2.31 ‫ ְדּ ֵמי ִחנָּ ם‬blood (shed)
without reason (‫ חנם‬old subst., § 102b, 2nd n.); Jr 23.23 ‫ָרחוֹק‬ ‫�הי ִמ ָקּרוֹב … אלהי‬
ֵ ‫ ֱא‬a god near at
hand … a god far off; Pr 26.2 ‫ִחנָּ ם‬ ‫ ִק ְל ַלת‬gratuitous curse; Jr 31.35 ‫יוֹמם‬
ָ ‫ אוֹר‬the light of day (‫יוֹמם‬
ָ ,
§ 102b).
m
With a preposition: The following can be found constructed on a preposition followed by its noun:
l) a participle (quite a few examples, even in prose); 2) a substantive (rather few examples; seldom in
simple prose); 3) the number one in the combination ‫ִמן‬ ‫( ַא ַחד‬comp. the light form of ‫ אחד‬in ‫ַא ַחד‬
‫ ָﬠ ָשׂר‬, § 100b).
1)Participle: The frequent occurrence of a participle in the cst. state before a preposition is probably
to be explained by the frequent occurrence of a participle constructed on a noun(2)(§ 121k ff.). Examples:
Is 9.1b ‫ַצ ְל ָ֫מוֶ ת‬ ‫ישׁ ֵבי ְבּ ֶ֫א ֶרץ‬
ְ those who dwell in the land of the shadow of death (contr. 1a ‫ַהה ְֹל ִכים‬
�‫ ;) ַבּח ֶֹשׁ‬Ps 2.12 all those who trust in him. Also with ‫בּ‬: Is 5.11; Ps 84.7. With ‫ל‬: Is 30.18 ‫חוֹכי לוֹ‬
ֵ
those who hope in him; 64.3; 56.10 ‫ָלנוּם‬ ‫ א ֲֹה ֵבי‬loving to sleep (with an infinitive); Ez 38.11; Jb 24.5.
With ‫ ֶאל־‬: Is 14.19 (quoted in § 121n); Ez 21.17. With ‫ ַﬠל‬: Jdg 5.10; Ez 38.12. With ‫ ִמן‬: Is 28.9. With

‫ את‬indicator of the acc.: Jr 33.22 ‫ ְמ ָשׁ ְר ֵתי א ִֹתי‬who serve me (cf. § 121k, 2nd n.). See also examples
like Jr 49.16 (§ 93n).
n
2) Substantive: Is 9.2 ‫ ִשׂ ְמ ַחת ַבּ ָקּ ִציר‬joy at harvest time. Also with ‫ב‬: Josh 11.2; 2Sm 1.21; Is
5.11; Lm 1.1. With ‫ל‬: Josh 8.11, 13, 15.6, 17.9, 24.30; Jdg 2.9; Ps 58.5; Lm 2.18; 1Ch 6.55; 23.28. With

‫מן‬: Jr 23.23; Ez 13.2; Ho 7.5. With ‫את־‬: Is 8.6.

o
 3) With ‫ ַא ַ֫חד‬:Gn 3.22. ‫ ְכּ ַא ַ֫חד ִמ ֶ֫מּנּוּ‬like one of us; 1Sm 9.3 ‫( ַא ַחד ֵמ ַהנְּ ָﬠ ִרים‬perhaps on the
analogy of ‫הנערים‬ ‫אחד‬
֫ ); Jdg 17.1 etc.
Observation. It is perh. on the analogy of this use that ‫ ַא ַ֫חד‬is sometimes found in cases where it
cannot be regarded as nomen regens: 1) in liaison: Is 27.12 ‫ְל ַא ַ֫חד ֶא ָחד‬ (conjunctive accent and

repetition); 2) without liaison: Gn 48.22 ‫ַא ַ֫חד‬ ‫( ְשׁ ֶכם‬disjunctive accent); 2Sm 17.22; Zc 11.7.
p
Noun constructed on a clause. A clause, whether verbal or nominal, forms a block which may, in
some cases, be regarded as a substantive (§ 157); it will therefore be possible to consider it as a genitive
in relation to a preceding noun, which will act as its nomen regens. In fact the following are found used
as nomen regens in this position: 1) mainly nouns which have become prepositions; 2) some nouns used
in an almost prepositional fashion; 3) (rather rarely) pure substantives keeping their full nominal value.
A genitive clause may be A) an ordinary (non-relative) clause; B) a relative clause.
A) Ordinary clause (non-relative):
1) With a preposition, e.g. ‫ ֶ֫ט ֶרם‬, ‫ ַ֫י ַﬠן‬, ‫ ַבּ ֲﬠבוּר‬, ‫ ֫ ֵﬠ ֶקב‬, ‫( ַא ֲח ֵרי‬see lexica)(): e.g. ‫ ַא ֲח ֵרי נִ ְמ ַכּר‬Lv 25.48

after he has sold himself (but usually ‫ֲא ֶשׁר‬ ‫ ַא ֲח ֵרי‬, § q).
Likewise with some particles otherwise used as adverbs: ‫ ֵמ ָאז‬since (6 x), e.g. Josh 14.10 ‫ִדּ ֶבּר‬ ‫ֵמ ָאז‬
since he spoke (contr. Ex 4.10 with inf.); 2Sm 12.22 ‫ ; ְבּעוֹד‬Gn 43.3 ‫ ִבּ ְל ִתּי‬.

2) With a noun used in an almost prepositional way. Mainly ‫ ְבּיוֹם‬on the day when (where ‫ יוֹם‬has

a weakened meaning) = when: Ex 6.28 ‫ִדּ ֶבּר‬ ‫ ְבּיוֹם‬on the day when he spoke; ‫ ָכּל־יְ ֵמי‬all the days when
(weakened to all the time when, as long as); 1Sm 25.15 ‫ִא ָתּם‬ ‫ ָכּל־יְ ֵמי ִה ְת ַה ֫ ַלּ ְכנוּ‬all the time we were
living among them; Lv 14.46; cf. Jb 29.2; Ps 56.4 ‫ֶא ְב ַטח‬ �‫ירא אני ֵא ֫ ֶלי‬
֑ ָ ‫ יוֹם ִא‬when I fear, I shall trust
you; 102.3 ‫ ְבּיוֹם ַצר ִלי‬when I am distressed; Jr 6.15 ‫ ְבּ ֵﬠת ְפּ ַק ְד ִתּים‬at the time that I punish them;
2Kg 8.6 ‫הארץ‬ ‫ ִמיּוֹם ָﬠזְ ָבה את‬from the day she left the land.
3) With pure substantives (rare): Ho 1.2 �ַ ‫הוֹשׁ‬
ֵ ‫ְבּ‬ ‫ ְתּ ִח ַלּת ִדּ ֶבּר־יהוה‬Principium loquendi Domino
in Osee (Vulg.); literally: beginning of (that which) Y. spoke …; Is 29.1 ‫ָדוִ ד‬ ‫ ִק ְריַ ת ָחנָ ה‬city where D.
encamped; Jr 50.46 ‫ָב ֶבל‬ ‫ ִמקּוֹל נִ ְת ְפּ ָשׂה‬at the news (of) that B. had been captured. Possibly also Gn
1.1:‫אשׁית ָבּ ָרא אלהים את השׁמים ואת הארץ‬
ִ ‫ ְבּ ֵר‬At the beginning of God’s creation of the heaven
and the earth().
q
B) Relative clause:
a) asyndetic relative clause (rare; cf. § 158d):
 1) With a preposition: Jr 2.8 ‫ָה ָל֑כוּ‬ ‫לא־יוֹﬠלוּ‬
ִ֫ ‫ ַא ֲח ֵרי‬they followed (those things which) are good
for nothing.
2) With a noun used in an almost prepositional way: Ex 4.13 ‫ִתּ ְשׁ ַלח‬ ‫ ְבּיַ ד‬by the hand of one whom
you will send.
3) With a noun: Jb 18.21 ‫ֵאל‬ ‫ זֶ ה ְמקוֹם לא־יָ ַדע‬it is the place of him who does not recognise God;
29.16; Gn 39.4 ‫ ָכּל־יֶ שׁ־לוֹ‬all that he had; similarly Ex 9.4; Ps 81.6; 2Ch 30.19.

b) Syndetic relative clause (with ‫ ; ֲא ֶשׁר‬cf. § 158e):

1) With a preposition (very common), e.g. ‫ֲא ֶשׁר‬ ‫( ַא ֲח ֵרי‬cf. § 104b).

2) With a noun used in an almost prepositional way: Lv 13.46 ‫אשׁר‬ ‫ כּל־יְ ֵמי‬as long as (Nu 9.18;
rare); 2Sm 13.22 etc. ‫אשׁר‬ ‫ל־דּ ַבר‬
ְ ‫( ַﬠ‬by the thing which) = because(). ‫ ְמקוֹם אשׁר‬place where (with
weakening of meaning to there where)(): Gn 39.20 �‫… ֵבּית ַה ֫סֹּ ַהר ְמקוֹם ֲא ֶשׁר ֱא ִס ֵירי ַה ֶ֫מּ ֶל‬
‫סוּרים‬
ִ ‫ ֲא‬the place where the king’s prisoners were imprisoned; 40.3; Ez 6.13; Est 4.3; 8.17 (contr.
‫ ַה ָמּקוֹם ֲא ֶשׁר‬Ex 3.5 etc.). Likewise, with the preposition ‫בּ‬: ‫ ִבּ ְמקוֹם ֲא ֶשׁר‬with weakened meaning
there where (everywhere) 2Sm 15.21; Ne 4.14; and even without a weakening of the meaning: 1Kg 21.19
in the (same) place where; Lv 4.24, 33; 6.18; 7.2; 14.13; Nu 9.17; Jr 22.12; Ez 21.35; (contr. e.g. Gn
35.13 ‫אשׁר‬ ‫) ַבּ ָמּ׳‬. With ‫ זה‬as relative (§ 145c): Ps 104.8 ‫ל־מקוֹם זה יָ ַ֫ס ְד ָתּ ָל ֶהם‬
ְ ‫ ֶא‬.
r
Construct state as a pure linking form. In some cases the form of the construct state is found,
although the noun cannot be regarded as nomen regens.
The only common type is the following: a noun having in apposition a genitive group (and thus with
the cst. state) is itself in the cst. state: Is 37.22 ‫ִציּוֹן‬ ‫תוּלת ַבּת‬
ַ ‫ ְבּ‬the virgin daughter of Zion (cf. § f); Jr
14.17 ‫ת־ﬠ ִמּי‬
ַ ‫ַבּ‬ ‫תוּלת‬
ַ ‫ ְבּ‬the virgin daughter of my people; 1Sm 28.7 ‫ ֵ֫א ֶשׁת ַבּ ֲﬠ ַלת־אוֹב‬a woman who
has a spirit (necromancer); Dt 21.11 ‫תּ ַאר‬
ֹ ֫ ‫יְ ַפת־‬ ‫ ֵ֫א ֶשׁת‬a woman beautiful of form (here with adjective,
§ i); with repetition of the same word: Gn 14.10 ‫ֵח ָמר‬ ‫ ֶבּ ֱאר ֹת ֶבּ ֱאר ֹת‬pits, pits of bitumen (§ 135e; abs.
‫ ;) ְבּ ֵאר ֹת‬Nu 3.47. See also § 147d, n.
s
When two nouns are joined by ‫ ו‬and form a compact group, the first one sometimes has the light

form of the cst. state(1): Ez 26.10 ‫וָ ֶ ֫ר ֶכב‬ ‫( וְ גַ ְל ֜ ַגּל‬conjunctive 1st accent, disjunctive 2nd); Is 33.6; Zc 13.1
(disjunctive accent). For ‫ ַא ַחד‬, cf. § o.
t
Stylistic use of the genitive. The stylistic use of the genitive in a relative clause is to be noted; it is
especially common with the possessive pronoun, which is assumed to be in the genitive (§ 94a): 1Kg
12.8 (13) ‫יְ ָﬠ ֫ ֻצהוּ‬ ‫ ֲﬠ ַצת ַהזְּ ֵקנִ ים ֲא ֶשׁר‬the advice which the elders had given him; 2Kg 17.22 ‫ַחטֹּאות‬
‫ ;יָ ָר ְב ָﬠם ֲא ֶשׁר ָﬠ ָשׂה‬17.8, 19; 21.16, 17; Ex 32.32 ‫ ִס ְפ ְר� ֲא ֶשׁר ָכּ ַ֫ת ְב ָתּ‬the book which you have
written; Jdg 11.39; 1Kg 3.21; 2Kg 13.14; Ez 22.4().
u
Notwithstanding the general principle that nothing can break up a construct chain (§ a), some cognate
languages, especially Ugaritic, suggest that BH may also have allowed the use of the enclitic Mem with
the first noun in a construct chain, though its precise function remains obscure; for Ugaritic, see Gordon,
UT, § 11.8. Out of a list of such possible cases mentioned by Hummel, the following appear reasonably
assured: Gn 14.6 ‫ֵשׂ ִﬠיר‬ ‫ ְבּ ַה ְר ָרם‬in the mountains of Seir; Nu 21.14 ‫ואת־הנְּ ָח ִלים ַא ְרנוֹן‬
ַ and the wadi

of Arnon; Ps 18.16 ‫ַמיִ ם‬ ‫ ֲא ִפ ֵיקי‬the channels of the sea (= ‫ ֲא ִפ ֵיקים יָ ם‬, cf. || 2Sm 22.16 ‫ ;)אפיקי יָ ם‬Ps
110.3 ‫ִמ ְשׁ ָחר‬ ‫ ֵמ ֶ ֫ר ֶחם‬from the womb of dawn (= ‫)()?()מרחמם שׁחר‬.
v
The syntactically tight cohesion of construct phrases could result in a certain ambiguity. Thus ‫בן‬
‫ מלך גדול‬could theoretically mean either a great prince or a prince of a great king and ‫בן המלך הזה‬
this prince or a prince of this king. Such an ambiguity could be obviated by the agreement rule in a case
such as 1Ki 6.24 ‫ַה ֵשּׁנִ ית‬ ‫ ְכּנַ ף ַהכּרוּב‬the other wing of the cherub as against vs. 27 ‫כנף הכרוב השׁני‬
the wing of the other cherub(). The circumlocution by means of the preposition ‫ ל‬or ‫ְל‬ ‫ §( ֲא ֶשׁר‬130b–e)
likewise reduces this ambiguity to a certain extent.

§130. Genitive replaced by ‫ל‬

a
The usual way to express a genitival relationship (Eng. of) is to construct the first noun on the second
(§ 129). But this construction is often avoided by reason of necessity or even of simple expediency; ‫ ל‬to

is used instead (in some cases ‫אשׁר ל‬, § e)(). The transition in meaning from to to of can be seen in
cases like 1Sm 14.16 ‫ ַהצּ ִֹפים ְל ָשׁאוּל ְבּגִ ְב ַﬠת ִבּנְ יָ ִמין‬the sentinels whom Saul had in Gibeah of B.
(almost: the sentinels of Saul). The practical equivalence of the genitive and ‫ ל‬is illustrated by passages

like Jr 29.11 ‫ְל ָר ָﬠה‬ ‫ ַמ ְח ְשׁבוֹת ָשׁלוֹם ולא‬plans of happiness and not of misfortune and Dt 28.50 ‫לא־‬
‫ יִ ָשּׂא ָפנִ ים ְלזָ ֵקן‬it will have no respect for the old man compared with Lv 19.15 ‫לא־ת ָשּׂא ְפנֵ י ָדל‬
ִ ();
1Ch 27.33 �‫יוֹﬠץ ַל ֶ֫מּ ֶל� … ֵר ַ� ַה ֶ֫מּ ֶל‬
ֵ . The genitive relationship is expressed by ‫ ל‬in the following
cases:
b
The genitive is usually avoided and replaced by ‫ ל‬when the second noun is determinate but the first

one is logically indeterminate (). Thus a son of Jesse must normally be expressed as ‫ ֵבּן ְליִ ַשׁי‬1Sm
16.18; similarly before a proper noun (which is always determinate, § 137b): Gn 14.18; 36.12; Nu 22.4();
36.7. A prophet of Yahweh is always ‫ליהוה‬ ‫( נָ ִביא‬1Kg 18.22; 22.7; 2Kg 3.11; 2Ch 18.6; 28.9†. (The
form ‫ *נְ ִביא‬is not attested).

A Psalm of David (indeterminate) is rendered by ‫ְל ָדוִ ד‬ ‫ ל( ִמזְ מוֹר‬auctoris = ‫ ל‬of author []) Ps 3.1
etc. Likewise with a determinate genitive group: 2Sm 19.21 ‫יוֹסף‬
ֵ ‫ל־בּית‬
ֵ ‫אתי ִראשׁוֹן ְל ָכ‬
ִ ‫ ָ֫בּ‬I have come
as (the) first of the whole house of Joseph (‫ ִראשׁוֹן‬indeterminate predicative, § 126a); Gn 41.12.
Likewise before a noun with suffix (always determinate): Ex 20.5 (to retain the indetermination of
‫ ִר ֵבּ ִﬠים‬, on the analogy of the preceding nouns; likewise vs. 6).
c
‫ ל‬is also used in order not to alter some expressions with a genitive construction: 1Kg 14.19 ‫ֵ֫ס ֶפר‬
‫ ִדּ ְב ֵרי ַהיָּ ִמים ְל ַמ ְל ֵכי ישׂראל‬the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel (the words ‫דברי היּמים‬
form a compact group[]; moreover ‫ ל‬makes it possible to avoid a series of four genitives); Josh 19.51;

2Kg 5.9; 11.4. After place names: Gn 23.9 ‫ ; ִל ְמ ָﬠ ַרת ַה ַמּ ְכ ֵפּ ָלה ֲא ֶשׁר לוֹ‬Jdg 19.14 ‫ֵ֫א ֶצל ַהגִּ ְב ָﬠה‬
‫)( ֲא ֶשׁר ְל ִבנְ יָ ִמין‬.
This construction is particularly preferred where the first term consists of nouns linked with the
conjunction Waw as in Gn 40.5 ‫ ; ַה ַמּ ְשׁ ֶקה וְ ָהא ֶֹפה ְל ֶ֫מ ֶל� מצרים‬2Kg 11.10 ‫את ַה ֲחנִ ית ואת‬
‫ ַה ְשּׁ ָל ִטים אשׁר למלך דוד‬the spears and shields which had been King David’s; the relationship may
be represented as
(a + b) + c,
where c in turn can consist of more than one noun(). This also applies to many cases mediated by
‫( ֲא ֶשׁר ל־‬discussed in § e below). Where three or more nouns follow one after another in genitive
relationship, the first normally serves as the nucleus of the entire chain:
a + (b + c + …).
Thus in Gn 3.2 ‫ַהגָּ ן‬ ‫ ְפּ ִרי ֵﬠץ‬, the ‫ הגּן‬is to be construed with ‫ עץ‬rather than with ‫פּרי‬: (‫ )עץ הגּן‬+
‫פּרי‬.
d
Such is the case, in particular, with dates: Ezr 1.1 ‫וֹרשׁ‬
ֶ ‫ְל ֫כ‬ ‫ ִבּ ְשׁנַ ת ַא ַחת‬in the year 1 of Cyrus; Hg
1.1 ‫ְל ָד ְר ָ֫יוֶ שׁ‬ ‫ ; ִבּ ְשׁנַ ת ְשׁ ַ֫תּיִ ם‬1Kg 15.28 ‫( ִבּ ְשׁנַ ת ָשׁלשׁ ְל ָא ָסא‬cf. § 142o); Hg 1.1 ‫ ְבּיוֹם ֶא ָחד ַל ֫חֹ ֶדשׁ‬.
Compare the use of adjectival ordinals: 2Ch 29.3 ‫ ַבּ ָשּׁנָ ה ָה ִראשׁוֹנָ ה ְל ָמ ְלכוֹ‬in the first year of his reign;

1Kg 3.18 ‫ְל ִל ְד ִתּי‬ ‫ישׁי‬

ִ ‫ ַבּיּוֹם ַה ְשּׁ ִל‬on the third day of (= after) my giving birth.
e
‫ ֲא ֶשׁר ל‬who (is) to may be used instead of ‫ ל‬in some cases in order to give more precision or more
emphasis: 1Kg 1.33 ‫אשׁר־לי‬ ‫ ַה ִפּ ְר ָדּה‬my mule (my own mule)(); or in order not to alter an expression
with a genitive construction (cf. § c): Ct 1.1 ‫ִשׁיר ַה ִשּׁ ִירים אשׁר ִל ְשׁ�מֹה‬ the song of songs, of

Solomon; Lv 9.8; Jdg 3.20; 1Sm 17.40; 21.8; 2Sm 2.8. After a noun with the article ‫ אשׁר ל‬is quite
often used for no clearly discernible reason(): Gn 29.9 ‫יה‬
ָ ‫ הצּאן אשׁר ְל ָא ִ֫ב‬the flock of her father;
31.19; 47.4; 1Sm 20.40 ‫אשׁר־לוֹ‬ ‫ ַה ֫ ַנּ ַﬠר‬his servant; also with a pronoun: 25.7; 2Sm 14.31(); 1Kg 4.2;
Ru 2.21 (|| vs. 8 ‫)נַ ֲﬠר ַֹתי‬. Cp. Ex 29.29 ‫ְל ַא ֲהר ֹן‬ ‫ ִבּגְ ֵדי ַה ֫קֹּ ֶדשׁ אשׁר‬and 39.41 ‫בּגדי הקּדשׁ לאהרן‬.
This construction is a BH precursor of the MH -‫ ֶשׁ ְלּ‬, and is already attested in ninth-century Phoenician().

f
Observation. ‫ ֲא ֶשׁר ל‬may be compared with ‫אשׁר בּ‬, which is sometimes equivalent to a local
genitive: 1Kg 18.38 ‫ ַה ַ֫מּיִ ם אשׁר ַבּ ְתּ ָﬠ ָלה‬the water of the canal; 2Kg 5.3 ‫; ַהנָּ ִביא אשׁר ְבּשׁ ֹ ְמרוֹן‬
6.12 ‫בּישׂראל‬ ‫ ;הנּביא אשׁר‬1Kg 13.32 ‫ית־אל‬
ֵ ‫ ַה ִמּזְ ֵבּ ַ� אשׁר ְבּ ֵב‬the altar of Bethel (verse 4 without
‫ ;)אשׁר‬2Kg 10.29. The genitive is not used to say cedar of the Lebanon, which is rendered by ‫ָה ֶ֫א ֶרז‬
‫( אשׁר ַבּ ְלּ ָבנוֹן‬2Kg 14.9 = 2Ch 25.18, where the same construction is used for the thistle of the Lebanon,
the wild beast of the Lebanon); 1Kg 5.13†; or, with ‫ בּ‬alone, ‫בּלּבנוֹן‬ ‫ ארז‬Ez 31.3; Ps 92.13†. For the
islands of the sea, besides ‫ ִאיֵּ י ַהיָּ ם‬Is 11.11; 24.15; Est 10.1†, the expression ‫ ָה ִאיִּ ים אשׁר ַבּיָּ ם‬is
found only once (Ez 26.18†).
fa
The construction discussed in § f, namely a prepositional phrase qualifying a noun, can occur with
other prepositions as well: Gn 3.3 ‫תוֹ�־הגָּ ן‬
ַ ‫ְבּ‬ ‫ ִמ ְפּ ִרי ָה ֵﬠץ ֲא ֶשׁר‬from the fruits of the tree in the midst
of the garden; 2Sm 17.11 ‫אשׁר־על־היָּ ם‬
ַ ‫ ַכּחוֹל‬like the sand by the sea; Gn 24.54 ‫הוא והאנשׁים‬
‫אשׁר־ﬠמּוֹ‬
ִ he and the men (who were) with him; 2Kg 5.4 ‫ ַהנַּ ֲﬠ ָרה אשׁר מארץ ישׂראל‬the girl from
the land of Israel.
The use of the relative pronoun in these cases is normal, and has the effect of averting an erroneous
analysis whereby these prepositional phrases are misconstrued as adverbial phrases: for instance, in 2Kg
5.3 ‫ְבּשׁ ְֹמרוֹן‬ ‫ ַא ֲח ֵלי ֲאד ֹנִ י ִל ְפנֵ י הנביא אשׁר‬could, without the relative, be taken to mean I wish that
my lord were before the prophet and in Samaria; cp. 2Ki 18.17 with ‫ אשׁר‬with its parallel passage, Is

36.2, without ‫)(אשׁר‬.

g
‫ ל‬equivalent to a genitive and attribute of a preceding noun (§ a) must also be compared with ‫ל‬
referring to the verb to indicate to whom the action refers. In that case the ‫ ל‬with its noun (or pronoun)
is not equivalent to a genitive, since it refers to the verb and not to the noun; in practice, however, this
construction expresses in an indirect way the genitive relationship of possession(). Examples: Gn 17.12
‫“ יִ מּוֹל ָל ֶכם כּל־זָ ָכר‬shall be circumcised to you every male” = all your males shall be circumcised (vs.
10; 34.15, 22; Ex 12.48); Dt 23.3 (verses 4, 9) ‫לוֹ‬ ‫ גַּ ם דּוֹר ֲﬠ ִשׂ ִירי לא יָ בֹא‬Lat. etiam generatio decima
non ingredietur ei = “even his tenth generation shall not enter”; Jr 13.13 ‫ַﬠל־‬ ‫יּשׁ ִבים ְל ָדוִ ד‬
ְ ‫ַה ְמּ ָל ִכים ַה‬
‫ ִכּ ְסאוֹ‬Lat. reges sedentes Davidi super thronum ejus() = “the kings [of the house of] David who sit on
his throne” (22.4); Gn 50.23; Dt 22.14; 1Sm 2.33; 9.3, 20; 11.2; 25.34; 1Kg 2.4; 14.10, 13; 2Kg 10.30;
Is 26.14; 33.14; Jr 48.35; Am 9.1; Ps 128.6; 132.12; Lm 1.10. 1

1 Joüon, P., & Muraoka, T. (2006). A grammar of biblical Hebrew (pagg. 410–448). Roma: Pontificio
Istituto Biblico.