1. Class IX: Construct Chain Dr. Esa Autero
LAN 404 Beginning Hebrew I
*Photo from
Class IX: Construct Chain
Dr. Esa Autero

2. 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
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3. 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.

4. 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 *

5. 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 *

6. 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 *

7. 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) *

8. 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 *

9. 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

10. 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 *

11. 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 *

12. 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

13. 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 *

14. 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 *

15. 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 *

16. 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 *

17. 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 *

18. 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 *

19. 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 *

20. 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 *

21. 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 *

22. 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 *

23. 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! *

24. 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 *

25. 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 *

26. Hebrew Construct Chain
Practice
Workbook p , no:1-15
Homework
Workbook p , 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: