# BBH Chapter 4 — Hebrew Nouns

## Files

### Exercises

Exercise | Description
--- | ---
exercises/ch4-noun-parsing/ | 25-item noun parsing drill — gender, number, state, lexical form, and gloss

### Flashcards

File | Format | Description
--- | --- | ---
ch4-vocab-deck.md | Markdown | Vocabulary deck — 20 high-frequency nouns with construct forms, plurals, and OT frequency
ch4-vocab-deck.txt | Anki import | Vocabulary deck — tab-separated, ready for Anki File → Import (20 cards)
ch4-vocab-deck-fd.txt | Flashcards Deluxe | Vocabulary deck — tab-separated, ready for Flashcards Deluxe import (20 cards)

### Notebooks

Notebook | What it shows
--- | ---
OT Noun Morphology | Hebrew noun state (absolute/construct), gender, number, top lemmas, construct chains, article usage
Morphological Distribution of Nouns | Morphological distribution of Hebrew nouns across books (case, state, gender)

Basics of Biblical Hebrew, Pratico & Van Pelt
Chapter 4: Hebrew Nouns

## 1. Introduction

Hebrew nouns are among the first grammatical forms students encounter in the text, and learning to parse them accurately is fundamental to reading the Hebrew Bible. Every noun in Biblical Hebrew carries three pieces of morphological information: gender, number, and state. In addition, nouns can take the definite article and pronominal suffixes. This chapter introduces the basic noun patterns, the major inflectional categories, and the vocabulary of frequent Hebrew nouns students must know from the start.

Nouns in Hebrew are declined (their form changes) according to:

- Gender — masculine or feminine (no neuter gender in Hebrew)
- Number — singular, plural, or dual
- State — absolute or construct

> Parsing order: When parsing a Hebrew noun, work through these categories in order: (1) gender, (2) number, (3) state, (4) lexical form (what the dictionary form looks like), (5) gloss (English meaning).

## 2. Gender

Hebrew has two grammatical genders: masculine and feminine. There is no neuter gender. Gender is a grammatical property — it does not always correspond to natural sex or to what an English speaker might expect.

### Masculine Nouns

Masculine is the default (unmarked) gender. Masculine nouns have no characteristic ending; they simply appear without a gender suffix.

Examples:

Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss
--- | --- | ---
מֶלֶךְ | melek | king
דָּבָר | davar | word, thing
נָבִיא | navi | prophet
סֵפֶר | sefer | book
עַם | ʿam | people

### Feminine Nouns

Feminine nouns are typically marked with a characteristic ending. The two most common feminine endings are:

Ending | Description | Examples
--- | --- | ---
ָה- (he with qamets) | Most common feminine singular ending | תּוֹרָה (law), מַלְכָּה (queen), שָׁנָה (year)
ת- (taw, often with vowel) | Second feminine ending | בַּת (daughter), בְּרִית (covenant), אֱמֶת (truth)
ֶת- (seghol + taw) | Feminine ending on some pattern-nouns | מַמְלֶכֶת (kingdom), יַלְדֶּת →
וֹת- (holem waw + taw) | Feminine plural ending | תּוֹרוֹת, מַלְכּוֹת

### Exceptions — Grammatically Feminine Despite Form

Some common nouns are grammatically feminine even though they lack a feminine ending. These must be learned individually. The most important:

Hebrew | Gloss | Notes
--- | --- | ---
אֶרֶץ | land, earth | Always feminine
רוּחַ | spirit, wind | Usually feminine
שֶׁמֶשׁ | sun | Feminine in Hebrew (contrast: יָרֵחַ, moon, is masculine)
עִיר | city | Feminine
נֶפֶשׁ | soul, life | Feminine
אֵשׁ | fire | Usually feminine

> Grammar note: Gender agreement matters. When a noun serves as the subject of a verb or is modified by an adjective, the verb and adjective must agree with the noun's grammatical gender — not the form alone. Knowing the gender of these exceptions is essential for accurate parsing.

## 3. Number

Biblical Hebrew has three numbers: singular, plural, and dual (limited use).

### Singular

The base form with no number suffix. This is the standard dictionary (lexical) form.

### Plural

Hebrew forms plurals differently depending on gender:

Gender | Plural Ending | Example
--- | --- | ---
Masculine | ים- (yod + mem) | מֶלֶךְ → מְלָכִים (kings)
Masculine | ים- | דָּבָר → דְּבָרִים (words)
Feminine | וֹת- (holem waw + taw) | תּוֹרָה → תּוֹרוֹת (laws/instructions)
Feminine | וֹת- | מַלְכָּה → מַלְכּוֹת (queens)

> Note on vowels: When the plural ending is added, the vowels in the noun's stem often change. The most predictable change is propretonic reduction (see Section 4): the vowel two syllables before the stress reduces to a shewa. This is why מֶלֶךְ becomes מְלָכִים and not ×מֶלֶכִים.

### Dual

The dual number is formed with the ending יִם- (yod + holem/tsere + mem) and is used for:

- Naturally paired body parts (hands, eyes, feet, ears)
- Some time expressions (two years, two days)
- A few fixed forms

Hebrew | Gloss | Notes
--- | --- | ---
יָדַיִם | two hands | From יָד (hand, f.)
עֵינַיִם | two eyes | From עַיִן (eye, f.)
רַגְלַיִם | two feet | From רֶגֶל (foot, f.)
אָזְנַיִם | two ears | From אֹזֶן (ear, f.)
שָׁנָתַיִם | two years | From שָׁנָה (year, f.)
יוֹמַיִם | two days | From יוֹם (day, m.)

> Key distinction: The dual ending יִם- looks similar to the masculine plural ים-, but it is distinct in pointing. The dual almost always has a patach under the yod (יַ- or יָ-), while the plural has a plain yod + hiriq + mem (יִם).

### Irregular Plurals

Some of the most common Hebrew nouns form their plurals irregularly. These must be memorized:

Singular | Plural | Gloss
--- | --- | ---
אִישׁ | אֲנָשִׁים | man / men
אִשָּׁה | נָשִׁים | woman / women
בֵּן | בָּנִים | son / sons
בַּת | בָּנוֹת | daughter / daughters
עִיר | עָרִים | city / cities
בַּיִת | בָּתִּים | house / houses
יוֹם | יָמִים | day / days (note vowel change)

## 4. Noun Patterns (Segolate and Other Types)

Hebrew nouns follow predictable stem patterns (based on the pattern of vowels relative to the three root consonants). Recognizing patterns helps students predict how a noun will behave in the plural and in construct chains.

### Segolate Nouns (Qatl Pattern)

The most important pattern for beginning students is the segolate (named for the seghol vowel that appears in many of these forms). These nouns originally had stress on the first syllable and a single vowel; the Masoretes inserted helping vowels to make consonant clusters pronounceable.

Characteristics:
- Stress on the penultimate (second-to-last) syllable in singular
- Two seghol (or similar) vowels in the base form
- Plural shows propretonic reduction of the first vowel

Hebrew | Pattern | Gloss | Plural
--- | --- | --- | ---
מֶלֶךְ | Qatl (segolate) | king | מְלָכִים
נֶפֶשׁ | Qatl (segolate) | soul | נְפָשׁוֹת
אֶרֶץ | Qatl (segolate) | land | אֲרָצוֹת
סֵפֶר | Qitl (segolate) | book | סְפָרִים
קֹדֶשׁ | Qutl (segolate) | holiness | קְדָשִׁים

### Qatāl Pattern (Polysyllabic Nouns)

Longer nouns with two syllables and stress on the ultima (last syllable):

Hebrew | Gloss | Plural
--- | --- | ---
שָׁלוֹם | peace | שְׁלוֹמִים (rare)
דָּבָר | word | דְּבָרִים
זָקֵן | elder | זְקֵנִים

### Propretonic Reduction

A key principle for understanding how noun vowels change:

> Propretonic reduction: The vowel in the syllable two positions before the main stress (the proprotonic syllable) typically reduces to a vocal shewa (ְ). This is the most common vowel change in noun plurals.

Example with מֶלֶךְ:
- Singular: מֶ-לֶךְ (stress on first syllable, as a segolate)
- Plural: מְ-לָ-כִים — the first vowel (seghol) reduces to shewa; the second vowel lengthens to qamets

## 5. The Absolute and Construct States

Every Hebrew noun appears in one of two states:

### Absolute State

The absolute state is the independent form of the noun — the form listed in the dictionary and used when the noun stands on its own or with the article.

Examples: הַמֶּלֶךְ (the king), תּוֹרָה (a law/the law), דָּבָר (a word)

### Construct State

The construct state is a special bound form used when a noun directly precedes another noun in a construct chain (סְמִיכוּת, smikhut). The construct noun is "bound to" the following noun, which functions as a genitive (possessor or qualifier). The construct chain is the Hebrew equivalent of "the X of Y."

Example: דְּבַר יְהוָה — the word of the LORD (דְּבַר is construct of דָּבָר)

Construct chains will be studied in depth in Chapter 10. For now, students should know:
- The construct state often differs from the absolute by having shorter vowels (vowel reduction in construct)
- Masculine plural construct: ים- → ֵי (e.g., דִּבְרֵי — words of)
- Feminine plural construct: וֹת- is retained unchanged
- The construct noun never takes the definite article (definiteness comes from the following noun)

Form | Absolute | Construct | Notes
--- | --- | --- | ---
ms | דָּבָר | דְּבַר | Vowel shortens
mp | דְּבָרִים | דִּבְרֵי | ים- → ֵי
fs | תּוֹרָה | תּוֹרַת | ָה- → ַת
fp | תּוֹרוֹת | תּוֹרוֹת | Unchanged

## 6. Paradigm: Masculine Noun Inflection

The following table shows the full inflection of מֶלֶךְ (king), a classic segolate noun, across the forms students must know at this stage.

Form | Hebrew | Transliteration | Notes
--- | --- | --- | ---
Sg. Absolute | מֶלֶךְ | mélek | Base segolate form; stress on first syllable
Sg. Construct | מֶלֶךְ | mélek | Identical to absolute for most segolates
Pl. Absolute | מְלָכִים | melakhím | Propretonic reduction: seghol → shewa; R2 qamets
Pl. Construct | מַלְכֵי | malkhê | Short form; ים- drops; tsere on final syllable
Du. Absolute | — | — | No dual for מֶלֶךְ
Du. Construct | — | — | —

A second example with דָּבָר (word), a qatāl-pattern noun:

Form | Hebrew | Transliteration | Notes
--- | --- | --- | ---
Sg. Absolute | דָּבָר | davár | Stress on ultima
Sg. Construct | דְּבַר | devar | Both vowels shorten
Pl. Absolute | דְּבָרִים | devarim | R1 reduces to shewa
Pl. Construct | דִּבְרֵי | divré | Both internal vowels short

## 7. Paradigm: Feminine Noun Inflection

### תּוֹרָה (law, instruction)

Form | Hebrew | Transliteration | Notes
--- | --- | --- | ---
Sg. Absolute | תּוֹרָה | torá | Feminine ָה- ending
Sg. Construct | תּוֹרַת | torat | ָה- → ַת in construct
Pl. Absolute | תּוֹרוֹת | torót | Feminine plural וֹת-
Pl. Construct | תּוֹרוֹת | torót | Unchanged in construct

### מַלְכָּה (queen)

Form | Hebrew | Transliteration | Notes
--- | --- | --- | ---
Sg. Absolute | מַלְכָּה | malkah | Feminine ָה- ending
Sg. Construct | מַלְכַּת | malkat | ָה- → ַת
Pl. Absolute | מַלְכּוֹת | malkot | Feminine plural
Pl. Construct | מַלְכּוֹת | malkot | Unchanged

### שָׁנָה (year)

Form | Hebrew | Transliteration | Notes
--- | --- | --- | ---
Sg. Absolute | שָׁנָה | shaná | Feminine ָה- ending
Sg. Construct | שְׁנַת | shenat | Both vowels reduce in construct
Pl. Absolute | שָׁנִים | shaním | Irregular: masculine plural ending on feminine noun
Pl. Construct | שְׁנֵי | shenê | ים- → ֵי
Du. Absolute | שָׁנָתַיִם | shnatáyim | Dual: two years

> Note: שָׁנָה takes masculine plural endings (שָׁנִים) — an exception to expect.

## 8. Most Frequent Hebrew Nouns (OT-wide)

The following are the twenty most frequently occurring Hebrew nouns in the Old Testament. Every student should memorize these early, as they appear on virtually every page of the Hebrew Bible.

# | Hebrew | Gender | Plural Form | Gloss | Approx. Freq.
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1 | יְהוָה | m. | — (no pl.) | the LORD (divine name) | ~6,800
2 | כֹּל | m. | — | all, every, whole | ~5,400
3 | בֵּן | m. | בָּנִים | son | ~4,900
4 | אֱלֹהִים | m. (pl. form) | — | God / gods | ~2,600
5 | אִישׁ | m. | אֲנָשִׁים | man | ~2,100
6 | אֶרֶץ | f. | אֲרָצוֹת | land, earth | ~2,500
7 | יוֹם | m. | יָמִים | day | ~2,300
8 | פָּנִים | m. (pl. form) | — (always pl.) | face, presence | ~2,100
9 | עַיִן | f. | עֵינַיִם (du.) / עֵינוֹת (pl.) | eye; spring | ~900
10 | מֶלֶךְ | m. | מְלָכִים | king | ~2,500
11 | דָּבָר | m. | דְּבָרִים | word, thing | ~1,450
12 | בְּנֵי | m. pl. cstr. | — | sons of (construct pl. of בֵּן) | —
13 | עַם | m. | עַמִּים | people | ~1,900
14 | בַּיִת | m. | בָּתִּים | house | ~2,000
15 | רֹאשׁ | m. | רָאשִׁים | head, top | ~600
16 | יָד | f. | יָדוֹת / יָדַיִם (du.) | hand | ~1,600
17 | עִיר | f. | עָרִים | city | ~1,100
18 | שָׁנָה | f. | שָׁנִים | year | ~877
19 | אָב | m. | אָבוֹת | father | ~1,200
20 | אֵם | f. | אִמּוֹת | mother | ~220

> Notes on this list:
> - אֱלֹהִים is a plural form (literally "gods") used as a singular when referring to the God of Israel, taking singular verbs and adjectives in monotheistic contexts.
> - פָּנִים is a plurale tantum — it appears only in plural form but often has singular meaning ("face").
> - בְּנֵי (sons of) is the masculine plural construct of בֵּן; it appears so frequently as a fixed phrase (בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל — sons of Israel) that it functions almost as a vocabulary item in its own right.

## 9. Key Terms

Term | Definition
--- | ---
Gender | Grammatical category assigned to every Hebrew noun: masculine or feminine. Governs agreement with verbs, adjectives, and pronouns.
Number | Grammatical category for quantity: singular (one), plural (more than one), or dual (exactly two, limited use).
Dual | The dual number, marked by יִם-, used for naturally paired items (body parts) and some time expressions.
Absolute state | The independent form of a noun; the standard dictionary form. Used when the noun stands alone or with the definite article.
Construct state | The bound form of a noun used directly before another noun in a construct chain. Construct nouns typically have reduced vowels and never take the article.
Construct chain | A phrase in which one noun (in construct) is directly bound to a following noun (in absolute or with a suffix), expressing a genitive relationship: "the X of Y."
Segolate | A class of nouns whose base form has two seghol (or similar) vowels and whose stress falls on the first syllable. Classic example: מֶלֶךְ.
Propretonic reduction | The reduction of a long vowel to a vocal shewa in the syllable two positions before the main stress. The primary cause of vowel changes in noun plurals.
Plural ending | The characteristic suffixes added to nouns to form the plural: ים- (masculine), וֹת- (feminine).
Irregular plural | A plural form that does not follow the standard pattern and must be memorized (e.g., אִישׁ → אֲנָשִׁים).
Plurale tantum | A noun that appears only in plural form but may have singular meaning (e.g., פָּנִים = face).

## 10. Practice

Resource | Description
--- | ---
Noun Parsing Drill | 25-item parsing drill — identify gender, number, state, lexical form, and gloss for a range of noun forms including segolates, duals, and irregular plurals.