Ch. 6: Grammar_Prepositions

Question 1

What are the three (3) types of prepositions in Hebrew?

Answer 1

1. Independent / Stand Alone
2. Maqqef
3. Inseparable
   (This classification is based on a prepositions’s form and relationship to its object, not its meaning)

Question 2

What are Maqqef prepositions?

Answer 2

They are connected to their objects by a raised horizontal stroke called Maqqef

Question 3

What are inseparable prepositions?

Answer 3

They are prefixed directly to their objects and never occur independently

Question 4

What are the three (3) inseparable prepositions?

Answer 4

1. בְּ (in, at, with, by, against)
2. כְּ (as, like, according to)
3. לְ (to, toward, for)

Question 5

4 ways the inseparable prepositions (בְּ כְּ לְ ) will prefix to a noun: how will they appear before most consonants?

Answer 5

As the lexical form

Question 6

4 ways the inseparable prepositions (בְּ כְּ לְ ) will prefix to a noun: Before a reduced or Hateph vowel?

Answer 6

The inseparable preposition will take the corresponding short vowel of the Hateph vowel. (This is the same type of rule that you have already learned for the conjunction וְ (5.7.3)

Question 7

When an inseparable preposition is prefixed to אֱלֹהִים (God), how is it spelled?

Answer 7

1. The vocal Shewa under the preposition changes to a Tsere
2. The Aleph loses its vowel
   Ex. לֵאלֹהִים (This spelling follows the Exception to the Second Rule of Shewa [4.11.4])

Question 8

4 ways the inseparable prepositions (בְּ כְּ לְ ) will prefix to a noun: Before consonants with Vocal Shewa?

Answer 8

1. The inseparable prepositions are spelled with a Hireq
2. The vocal Shewa will turn silent (This is because two contiguous Vocal Shewas cannot stand at the beginning of a word [4.11.1] and so the Rule of Shewa applies)

Question 9

What happens if an inseparable preposition (בְּ כְּ לְ ) is prefixed to a word beginning with יְ?

Answer 9

1. The first Vocal Shewa will become a Hireq and the the Shewa under the Yod will disappear
   Ex. (בִּיהוּדָה) < (בְּיְהוּדָה)
   (This is similar to the Rule of Shewa [4.11.2] and the conjunction וְ [5.7.2b])

Question 10

4 ways the inseparable prepositions (בְּ כְּ לְ ) will prefix to a noun: In nouns with the definite article?

Answer 10

1. The vowel and Daghesh Forte of the definite articles are retained
2. the consonant of the preposition replaces the ה of the definite article; Examples:
   מִדְבָּר “wilderness”
   הַמִּדְבָּר “the wilderness”
   בַּמִּדְבָּר “in the wilderness”

Question 11

What is significant about the preposition (from, out of) מִן?

Answer 11

It occurs as a Maqqef and as an inseparable preposition

Question 12

What happens when מִן (from, out of) is used as an inseparable prep?

Answer 12

The נ assimilates into the following consonant and appears as a Daghesh Forte.
Ex. (מִמֶּ֫לֶךְ) < (מִן־מֶ֫לֶךְ)

Question 13

What happens when מִן (from, out of) is used as an inseparable prep with a begadkephat consonant that had a Lene?

Answer 13

The נ assimilates into the following consonant and the Lene becomes a Daghesh Forte.

Question 14

What happens when מִן (from, out of) is used as an inseparable prep with gutturals?

Answer 14

The Daghesh Forte is rejected by gutturals, of the assimilated נ
2. The Hireq under the מ of the preposition lengthens to Tsere
Ex. מֵאִישׁ “from a man”
(The lengthening of Hireq to Tsere is another example of compensatory lengthening learned in 5.4.1)

Question 15

What happens when מִן (from, out of) is used as an inseparable prep with a word that has the definite article?

Answer 15

The ה of the article is retained; as in (מֵהָאָ֫רֶץ)

Question 16

What happens when מִן (from, out of) is used as an inseparable prep with a word that begins with a ח??

Answer 16

1. The Daghesh Forte is often rejected by the guttural
2. Compensatory lengthening will usually not occur (this is called virtual doubling [see 5.4.2])
3. Compensatory lengthening will occur in some instances; such as (מֵחֶ֫רֶב) “from a sword”

Question 17

What are the special uses of the preposition מִן (from, out of)?

Answer 17

1. Comparative use
2. Superlative use
3. Partitive use

Question 18

What are the two ways that the comparative מִן can be used?

Answer 18

1. “than”: instead of the literal “good from gold” translate “better than gold”
2. “too . . . for”: instead of the literal “the work is difficult from the men” translate with a “the work is too difficult for the men”

Question 19

How is מִן (from, out of) used as a superlative?

Answer 19

מִן (from, out of) can be combined with כֹּל (all, each, every) in the formation of מִכֹּל literally “from every”
for example: lit. “clever from every living thing of the field” instead translate “the most clever living thing of the field”

Question 20

How is מִן (from, out of) used as a partitive?

Answer 20

1. Used to express a part of something

2. Ex. Lit. “from a fruit” instead translate “some fruit”

Question 21

What are the two words that are used as the definite direct object marker (also called accusative marker)? And when is it usually used?

Answer 21

אֵת/אֶת־
In Hebrew Prose
(note: This word has the same lexical form as the preposition “with, besides”; context will determine use)

Question 22

Does the direct object marker make a noun definite?

Answer 22

No (remember, there are three ways that a noun can be definite: articular, proper name, pronominal suffix (ex. סוּסִי “my horse”)

Question 23

What letter in Hebrew is weak and will often assimilate as a Forte

Answer 23

Nun

נ

Question 24

in the use of מִן as a comparative. Does the מִן accompany the word that is better or not as good?

Answer 24

1. Not as good
   Ex.
   טוֹבָה חָכְמָה מִזָּהָב
   Wisdom is better than gold