Class IX: Construct Chain Dr. Esa Autero LAN 404 Beginning Hebrew I *Photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/58558794@N07/7628799526/in/photostream/ Class IX: Construct Chain Dr. Esa Autero

Hebrew Construct Chain 1.1 Introduction There is no word for “of” in Hebrew “of” or (possession) expressed through construct chain  Construct chain is a particular relationship b/w nouns Examples of Hebrew construct chain: No “of” – assumed based on the relationship b/w the noun (construct chain) קוֹל הָאִישׁ The voice of the man (Man’s voice) מֶ֫לֶךְ הָאָ֫רֶץ The king of the land (king’s land) עֶ֫בֶד הַמֶּ֫לֶךְ The servant of the king *Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kjfnjy/5248545727/in/photostream/

Hebrew Construct Chain 2.1 Basic grammar of construct chain 1) Construct and absolute states of the noun In construct chain the first noun is the construct noun – in construct state In the construct chain the second noun is the absolute noun – absolute state עֶ֫בֶד הַמֶּ֫לֶךְ In construct chain, only the last word is in absolute state The last word in always is absolute state There may be multiple construct nouns in the construct chain When two nouns are in construct chain, they are inseparable* ABSOLUTE NOUN CONSTRUCT NOUN LEXICAL FORM *no other words or particles may stand between them.

Hebrew Construct Chain 2) Definiteness and indefiniteness Construct chain either entirely definite or indefinite Definite – (the … of the …) OR (indefinite a …of a …) Definiteness is determined by the absolute noun – last noun in the chain Examples of indefinite construct chains: קוֹל מֶ֫לֶךְ A voice of a king מֶ֫לֶךְ אֶ֫רֶץ A king of a land עֶ֫בֶד מֶ֫לֶךְ A servant of a king *

Hebrew Construct Chain Examples of definite construct chains: Three cases (in general) when the noun is definite: It has a definite article – הַמֶּלֶךְ (the king) It has a pronominal suffix – סוּסוֹ (his horse) It is a proper noun – שְׁמוּאֵל (Samuel) קוֹל הָאִישׁ the voice of the man מֶ֫לֶךְ הָאָ֫רֶץ the king of the land עֶ֫בֶד הַ֫מֶּלֶךְ the servant of the king *

Hebrew Construct Chain Examples in each category All construction chains are definite: Two first – absolute noun is proper noun (i.e. proper noun always definite) Third – absolute noun has pronominal suffix “his” (always definite) אֲבִי אַבְרָהָם The father of Abraham עֶבֶד שְׁמוּאֵל The servant of Samuel בֵּית מַלְכִּי The house of my king סֵ֫פֶר אבִ֫יהוּ The book of his father *

Hebrew Construct Chain 3) Multiple construct nouns Multiple nouns may occur in a construct chain Only one (the last one) is in absolute state Each construct noun is translated as “noun + of”  All depend on the absolute word (last noun) for definiteness עֶ֫בֶד אֲחִי הַמֶּ֫לֶךְ the servant of the brother of the king עֶ֫בֶד בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ The servant of the house of the king דִּבְרֵי מֶ֫לֶךְ הָאָרֶץ The words of the king of the land כָּל־מִשְׁפַּ֫חַת בֵּית־אֲבִי אִמּוֹ All of the family of the house of the father of his mother (Judg 9:1) *

Hebrew Construct Chain 4) Construct chain linked with Maqqef Nouns sometimes linked w/ Maqqef בֶּן־דָּוִד the son of David כָּל־הָעָם All of the people *

Hebrew Construct Chain 2.2 Construct chains with adjectives 1) Attributive adjectives – nouns are inseparable in the construct chain What to do with adjectives? To the end of the chain – whether modifying construct or absolute noun Adjective must agree w/ noun it modifies (gender, number, definiteness) דְּבַר הַמַּלְכָּה הַטּוֹב the good word of the queen Adjective masc.sg. – modifies the construct noun דְּבַר הַמַּלְכָּה הַטּוֹבָה The word of the good queen Adjective fem.sg. – modifies absolute noun Sg.masc Sg.fem. Sg.masc * Sg.fem. Sg.fem. Sg.masc דְּבָר דָּבָר מֶ֫לֶךְ מֶ֫לֶךְ

Hebrew Construct Chain Ambiguous cases – which noun does adjective modify? מֶ֫לֶךְ הָאָ֫רֶץ הַטּוֹב the good king of the land Adjective masc.sg. – modifies the construct noun in masc.sg. מֶ֫לֶךְ הָאָ֫רֶץ הַטּוֹבָה The king of the good land Adjective fem.sg. – modifies absolute noun in fem.sg. דְּבַר הַמֶ֫לֶךְ הַטּוֹב The good word of the king or the word of the good king דִּבְרֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַטּוֹבִים Good words of the kings or the words of the good kings עֶ֫בֶד הַנָּבִיא הָרַע The evil servant of the prophet or the servant of the evil prophet *

Hebrew Construct Chain 2) Demonstrative adjectives Like attributive adjectives – must follow the chain אֵ֫שֶׁת הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה The wife of this man אֵ֫שֶׁת הָאִישׁ הַטּוֹב הַזֶּה The wife of this good man דִּבְרֵי הַנָּבִיא הָאֵ֫לֶּה These words of the prophet דִּבְרֵי הַנָּבִיא הַזֶּה The words of this prophet דִּבְרֵי הַנָּבִיא הַטּוֹב הַזֶּה The words of this good prophet דְּבַר הַנָּבִיא הַזֶּה The words of this prophet or this word of the prophet דִּבְרֵי הַנְּבִיאִים הָאֵ֫לֶּה These words of the prophets or the words of these prophets *

Hebrew Construct Chain 3) Adjectives in the construct chain Substantive adjectives may appear in the construct chain יְפַת מַרְאֶה Beautiful of appearance יְפַת is the sg.fem. construct of יַפֶה חֲכַם־לֵב Wise of heart חֲכַםis the sg.masc. construct of חָכָם * קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל The Holy One of Israel קְדוֹשׁis the sg.masc. construct of קָדוֹשׁ

Hebrew Construct Chain 2.3 Construct nouns with inseparable prepositions Noun in construct state may appear w/ inseparable preposition Not with definite article Inseparable prepositions בְּ, לְּ, כְּ בְּבֵית דָּוִד in the house of David *

Hebrew Construct Chain 2.4 The spelling of nouns in the construct state Often spelling of absolute and construct noun is identical סוּס (horse, horse of) קוֹל (voice, voice of) מֶ֫לֶךְ (king, king of) Most construct nouns spelled differently from absolute nouns Construct noun often surrenders its primary accent  Similar to what happens in pronominal suffixes *

Hebrew Construct Chain 1) Vowel reduction Vowels of the construct noun often reduce or change their length Rules for ENDINGLESS NOUNS (a) in the construct state Qamets (or Tsere) changes to Pathach in a final closed syllable Absolute Construct מִשְׁפָּט Judgment מִשְׁפַּת Judgment of מִדְבָּר Wilderness מִדְבַּר Wilderness of מַלְאָךְ Angel מַלְאַךְ Angel of מִזְבֵּחַ Altar מִזְבַּח Altar of *

Hebrew Construct Chain (b) In the construct state Qamets or Tsere changes to Vocal Shewa in an open, unaccented syllable. Absolute Construct נָבִיא Prophet נְבִיא Prophet of שָׁלוֹם Peace שְׁלוֹם Peace of מָקוֹם Place מְקוֹם Place of *

Hebrew Construct Chain (c) Both of the previous rules (a & b) apply at the same time – vowels in both syllables reduce Absolute Construct דָּבָר Word דְּבַר Word of לֵבָב Heart לְבַב Heart of קָהָל Assembly קְהַל Assembly of זָקֵן Elder זְקַן Elder of חָצֵר Court חֲצַר Court of *

Hebrew Construct Chain (d) Monosyllabic words כֹּל & כֹּלoccur most frequently in construct state in HB. Generally change from long vowels to corresponding short vowels Absolute Construct בֵּן Son בֶּן Son of כֹּל All כָּל All of יָד hand יַד Hand of *

Hebrew Construct Chain 2) The masculine plural and (ִים) and dual (ַיִם) endings change to ֵי in construct state – then rule 1b is applied. IMPORTANT RULE! Absolute Construct אֱלֹהִים God אֱלֹהֵי God of בָּנִים Sons בְּנֵי Sons of עֵינַ֫יִם Two eyes עֵינֵי (two) eyes of דְּבָרִים Words דִּבְרֵי Words of *

Hebrew Construct Chain 3) Feminine singular nouns with the ( ָה ) ending change the ending to ַת and then rule 1b is applied. IMPORTANT RULE! Absolute Construct תוֹרָה Law תוֹרַת Law of מַלְכָּה Queen מַלְכַּת Queen of שָׁנָה Year שְׁנַת Year of *

Hebrew Construct Chain 4) Feminine pl. ending וֹת retains its ending + apply rule 1b. Absolute Construct מַמְלָכוֹת Kingdoms מַמְלְכוֹת Kingdoms of שֵׁמוֹת Names שְׁמוֹת Names of שָׂדוֹת Fields שְׂדוֹת Fields of בְּרָכוֹת Blessings בִּרְכוֹת Blessings of *

Hebrew Construct Chain 5) Some sg. monosyllabic (one syllable) nouns add Hireq Yod to stem in construct state (cf. certain suffixes). Don’t confuse w/ sg.1c. suffix! Absolute Construct אָב Father אֲבִי Father of אָח Brother אֲחִי Brother of אָבִי My father אָחִי My brother *

Hebrew Construct Chain 6) Few nouns characterized by the diphthong ַיִ in the construct state. In the construct state the diphthong changes to Tsere Yod (ֵי ַיִ) Absolute Construct בַּ֫יִת House בֵּית House of עַ֫יִן Spring עֵין Spring of Construct form more common MEMORIZE BOTH FORMS! *

Hebrew Construct Chain 7) Segholate Nouns. Sg. absolute and construct forms identical. Plural forms follow rule no: 2 & 4 respectively. Absolute Construct מֶ֫לֶךְ King King of עֶ֫בֶד Servant Servant of מְלָכִים Kings מַלְכֵי Kings of עֲבָדִים Servants עַבְדֵי Servants of *

Hebrew Construct Chain 8) Nouns ending in ֶה- have a singular construct with ֵה- ending. Absolute Construct שָׂדֶה Field שְׂדֵה Field of מַחֲנֶה Camp מַחֲנֵה Camp of *

Hebrew Construct Chain Practice Workbook p. 49-50, no:1-15 Homework Workbook p. 51-52, no:1-10 “Bible Translation” EXAM II – Next week (Tue 10/27/2015) Chapters 7-10 Basic grammar: Adjectives: attributive, predicative, substantive (sg./pl., masc./fem.) Pronouns (personal, demonstrative, relative, interrogative) Pronominal suffixes (my, your, her, our…) Construct chain Vocabulary (chs. 7-10) Translation sentences similar to what is found in the workbook *Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kjfnjy/5248545727/in/photostream/