CHAPTER 12 Duane A. Garrett & Jason S. DeRouchie A MODERN GRAMMAR FOR BIBLICAL HEBREW (B&H, 2009)

The Construct Chain CHAPTER 12

Definiteness & Indefiniteness Main Rule: The construct noun never has a definite article but is regarded as definite if the absolute noun is definite. When is an absolute noun definite? If it has the definite article: הַמַּלְכָּה (“the queen”) If it is a proper noun: שְׁמוּאֵל (“Samuel”) If it is defined as belonging to someone: e.g., “his house”

Construct Noun Formation Two Ways Construct Nouns May Differ from Absolute Nouns: The noun’s sufformative (ending) The noun’s vowels due to accent shift

Construct Noun Formation Changes in Noun Endings AbsoluteConstruct ms סוּס fs סוּסָהסוּסַת mp סוּסִיםסוּסֵי fp סוּסוֹת

Construct Noun Formation Changes in Noun Endings סוּס הַמֶּ ֫ לֶךְ דְּבַר נָבִיא סוּסַת מֶ ֫ לֶךְ תּוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה סוּסֵי הַמֶּ ֫ לֶךְ עָרֵי יְהוּדָה סוּסוֹת הַנָּבִיא עִיר דָּוִד עֵינ ֫ ֵי הַמּ ֫ ֶלֶךְ AbsoluteConstruct ms סוּס fs סוּסָהסוּסַת mp סוּסִיםסוּסֵי fp סוּסוֹת

Construct Noun Formation Vowel Changes Due to Accent Shift: A construct chain is treated like a single word with the accent on the absolute noun.

Formation of a Construct Plural Noun

Irregular Construct Nouns AbsoluteConstruct אָב father אֲבִי father of אָח brother אֲחִי brother of אִשָּׁה woman אֵ ֫ שֶׁת woman of מִלְחָמָה war מִלְח ֫ ֶמֶת war of מִשְׁפָּחָ ה family מִשְׁפּ ֫ ַחַ ת family of פֶּה mouth פִּי mouth of

Identical Sg Absolute & Construct Forms Nouns that are monosyllabic with unchangeable long vowels––e.g., קוֹל Nouns that are of the מֶ ֫ לֶךְ class AbsoluteConstruct קוֹל voice קוֹל voice of סוּס horse סוּס horse of מֶ ֫ לֶךְ king מֶ ֫ לֶךְ king of עֶ ֫ בֶד servant עֶ ֫ בֶד servant of

Practice in Forming Constructs סוּסָה דָּבָר יָמִים מָ ֫ וֶת אֲנָשִׁים מַחֲנֶה סוּסַת דְּבַר יְמֵי מוֹת אַנְשֵׁי מַחֲנֵה