# BBH Chapter 19 — Pronominal Suffixes on Verbs

## Files

### Reference Files

File | Description
--- | ---
verb-suffix-paradigms.md | Full paradigm tables: Perfect + suffix, Imperfect + suffix (energic nun), Wayyiqtol, Imperative, and Inf.Const. + suffix; summary table

### Exercises

Exercise | Description
--- | ---
exercises/ch19-parsing-drill/ | 25-item drill: Perfect, Imperfect (energic nun), Wayyiqtol, Imperative, and Inf.Const. + suffix forms
exercises/ch19-passage-exercise/ | 14-item passage exercise: Gen 28, Gen 45, Psa 23, Gen 39, Psa 16/Deu 31 — suffixes on verbs in context
exercises/ch19-verb-suffix-paradigm-drill/ | Paradigm drill — write 9 forms of שמר with object suffixes from memory

### Flashcards

File | Format | Description
--- | --- | ---
ch19-morphology-deck.md | Markdown | 32-card morphology deck — Pronominal Suffixes on Verbs with root class groupings
ch19-morphology-deck.txt | Anki import | Morphology deck — tab-separated, ready for Anki File → Import (32 cards)
ch19-morphology-deck-fd.txt | Flashcards Deluxe | Morphology deck — tab-separated, ready for Flashcards Deluxe import (32 cards)
ch19-vocab-deck.md | Markdown | Vocabulary deck — 14 words (5 verbs, 9 nouns) with POS tags and frequency
ch19-vocab-deck.txt | Anki import | Vocabulary deck — tab-separated, ready for Anki File → Import (14 cards)
ch19-vocab-deck-fd.txt | Flashcards Deluxe | Vocabulary deck — tab-separated, ready for Flashcards Deluxe import (14 cards)

### Notebooks

Notebook | What it shows
--- | ---
Qal Stem | Qal stem: full corpus data including suffixed verb forms

Basics of Biblical Hebrew, Pratico & Van Pelt
Data: MACULA Hebrew WLC — pronominal suffixes appear on ~46,419 total Qal verb tokens OT-wide

## 1. Function (BBH §19.2)

Pronominal suffixes attached to verbs function as direct object pronouns. Instead of a separate word (e.g., אֹתוֹ, "him"), the pronoun is attached directly to the verb as a suffix.

Function | Description | Example
--- | --- | ---
Direct object (3ms) | "him / it" | שְׁמָרַ֥נִי → שְׁלָחַ֥/נִי → שְׁמָרַ֥/הוּ
Direct object (1cs) | "me" | שְׁלָחַ֥/נִי — "he sent me"
Direct object (2ms) | "you (ms)" | שְׁמָרְ/ךָ — "he kept you"
Direct object (1cp) | "us" | יִשְׁמְרֵ֥/נוּ — "he will keep us"
Direct object (3mp) | "them" | שְׁמָרָ֥/ם — "he kept them"

> Key diagnostic: A pronominal suffix on a verb ends in a recognizable pronoun ending (נִי, הוּ, ךָ, נוּ, הָ, הֶם/ם, הֶן, כֶם, כֶן) attached directly to the verb stem — no separate אֵת marker. The verb form itself may be slightly altered before the suffix (linking vowels).

## 2. The Suffix Set — Object Suffixes on Verbs (BBH §19.3)

Two sets of object suffixes are used with verbs. The Type 1 (light) suffixes attach to forms ending in a vowel; Type 2 (heavy) suffixes with a linking vowel attach to consonant-final forms. In practice, the distinction depends on the conjugation:

Person | Number | Gender | Suffix | Transliteration | Notes
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1st | Singular | Common | נִי / נִי | -nî | Most common; perfect + wayyiqtol
2nd | Singular | Masculine | ךָ / אֶךָ | -kā / -ekhā | Patach + kaph
2nd | Singular | Feminine | ךְ / ֵךְ | -kh | Tsere + kaph
3rd | Singular | Masculine | הוּ / וֹ | -hû / -ô | Shureq or holem-waw
3rd | Singular | Feminine | הָ / ָה | -hā / -āh | Final he with qamets
1st | Plural | Common | נוּ | -nû | Shureq + nun
2nd | Plural | Masculine | כֶם | -khem |
2nd | Plural | Feminine | כֶן | -khen | Rare
3rd | Plural | Masculine | הֶם / ם | -hem / -ām | Short form ם common
3rd | Plural | Feminine | הֶן / ן | -hen | Rare

## 3. Suffixes by Conjugation

### Perfect (Qatal) + Suffix

The perfect adds suffixes to a slightly modified stem. Before heavy suffixes (נִי, נוּ, הוּ), the perfect 3ms uses a connecting vowel (often qamets or patach):

Perfect form | + Suffix | Result | Gloss
--- | --- | --- | ---
שָׁמַר (3ms) | + נִי (1cs) | שְׁמָרַ֥נִי | "he kept me"
שָׁמַר (3ms) | + הוּ (3ms) | שְׁמָרוֹ | "he kept him"
שָׁמַר (3ms) | + נוּ (1cp) | שְׁמָרָ֥נוּ | "he kept us"
שָׁמַרְתִּי (1cs) | + הוּ (3ms) | שְׁמַרְתִּ֥יהוּ | "I kept him"
שָׁמַרְתָּ (2ms) | + נִי (1cs) | שְׁמַרְתַּ֥נִי | "you kept me"

### Imperfect (Yiqtol) + Suffix

The imperfect uses the energic nun (נּ) as a buffer before certain suffixes — especially נִי and הוּ. This is a diagnostic feature of imperfect + suffix forms:

Imperfect form | + Suffix | Result | Gloss
--- | --- | --- | ---
יִשְׁמֹר (3ms) | + נִי (1cs) | יִשְׁמְרֵ֥נִי | "he will keep me"
יִשְׁמֹר (3ms) | + הוּ (3ms) | יִשְׁמְרֵ֥הוּ | "he will keep him"
יִשְׁמֹר (3ms) | + נוּ (1cp) | יִשְׁמְרֵ֥נוּ | "he will keep us"
תִּשְׁמֹר (2ms) | + נִי (1cs) | תִּשְׁמְרֵ֥נִי | "you will keep me"

### Wayyiqtol + Suffix

Same pattern as imperfect + suffix; energic nun also appears:

Form | Result | Gloss
--- | --- | ---
וַיִּשְׁמְרֵ֥נִי | "and he kept me" |
וַיִּשְׁמְרֵ֥הוּ | "and he kept him" |

### Imperative + Suffix

Form | Result | Gloss
--- | --- | ---
שְׁמֹר + נִי | שָׁמְרֵ֥נִי | "Keep me!" (Psa 16:1)
שְׁלָח + ֵנִי | שַׁלְּחֵ֥נִי | "Send me!"

## 4. Real Forms — שָׁמַר (to keep/guard)

Conjugation | Without Suffix | + 1cs (me) | + 3ms (him) | + 1cp (us)
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Perfect 3ms | שָׁמַר | שְׁמָרַ֥נִי | שְׁמָרוֹ | שְׁמָרָ֥נוּ
Perfect 1cs | שָׁמַרְתִּי | שְׁמַרְתִּ֥נִי* | שְׁמַרְתִּ֥יהוּ | —
Imperfect 3ms | יִשְׁמֹר | יִשְׁמְרֵ֥נִי | יִשְׁמְרֵ֥הוּ | יִשְׁמְרֵ֥נוּ
Wayyiqtol 3ms | וַיִּשְׁמֹר | וַיִּשְׁמְרֵ֥נִי | וַיִּשְׁמְרֵ֥הוּ | —
Imperative 2ms | שְׁמֹר | שָׁמְרֵ֥נִי | — | —
Inf. Construct | שְׁמֹר | בְּשָׁמְרוֹ* | — | —

*Inf. construct + suffix: often with preposition (בְּ/לְ/כְּ) + Inf.Const. + suffix = temporal/purpose clause.

## 5. Most Common Verb+Suffix Combinations in the Torah

Corpus: Genesis–Deuteronomy · 1,575 Qal verb + pronominal suffix tokens

Root | Common Form | Torah (×) | Gloss | Notes
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
— (connector H9001) | various | 162 | waw-consec. + suffix | Waw prefix connector counted separately
אכל | אֲכָלַ֥תְהוּ / תֹּאכְלֶ֥נּוּ | 30 | eat it/him | Imperfect + suffix very common
נתן | נְתַתִּ֥יהָ / יִתְּנֶ֥נּוּ | 28 | give it/him | Hiphil and Qal both common
בוא | יְבִיאֶ֥נּוּ | 17 | bring him/it | Often Hiphil stem
ראה | וַיִּרְאֵ֥הוּ / יִרְאֶ֥נּוּ | 13 | see him/it | III-ה with suffix
שלח | שְׁלָחַ֥נִי | 13 | send me | Gen 45:5 (Joseph)
שמע | שְׁמָעַ֥תְנוּ / שִׁמְעֵ֥נִי | 12 | hear me/us | Prayer + command
לקח | לְקָחַ֥תְהוּ / תִּקָּחֶ֥נּוּ | 12 | take him/it |
שים | שַׂמְתִּ֥יהוּ / יְשִׂימֶ֥נּוּ | 10 | put/make him |
ידע | יְדַעְתִּ֥יו | 9 | know him | Perfect 1cs + 3ms
מצא | מְצָאַ֥תְנִי / יִמְצָאֵ֥נִי | 9 | find me |
עזב | יַעַזְבֶ֥נּוּ / עֲזָבַ֥נִי | 9 | forsake me | Psa context also
עשה | עֲשׂוּ֥הוּ / יַעֲשֵׂ֥הוּ | 6 | do/make it | III-ה with suffix
נשא | שָׂאֵ֥נִי | 6 | lift/carry me |
עבד | עֲבַדְתִּ֥יךָ | 6 | serve you |
שמר | שְׁמָרַ֥נִי / יִשְׁמְרֶ֥נּוּ | 5+ | keep me/us | Paradigm root

## 6. Example Passages

### Perfect + Suffix

Perfect 3ms + 1cs — Gen 28:15 — וּ/שְׁמַרְתִּ֙י/ךָ֙ בְּ/כֹ֣ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּלֵ֔ךְ
"And I will keep you in all that you go."
→ שמר Qal Weqatal 1cs + 2ms suffix (ךָ); God's promise to Jacob; suffix replaces אֹתְךָ.

Perfect 3ms + 1cs — Gen 45:5 — כִּ֣י לְ/מִחְיָ֔ה שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים לִ/פְנֵי/כֶֽם
"For God sent me before you to preserve life."
→ שלח Qal Perfect 3ms + 1cs suffix (נִי); Joseph's theological interpretation; suffix marks him as object of God's action.

### Imperfect + Suffix (Energic Nun)

Imperfect 3ms + 1cs — Psa 23:4 — כִּ֥י אַתָּ֣ה עִמָּדִ֑י שִׁבְטְךָ֥ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּ֗ךָ הֵ֣מָּה יְנַחֲמֻ֑נִי
"For you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
→ נחם Piel Imperfect 3mp + 1cs suffix (נִי); energic nun absorbed into suffix; Psalm 23's climactic comfort declaration.

Imperfect 3ms + 3ms — Gen 37:28 — וַ/יִּמְכְּר֤וּ אֶת\־יוֹסֵף֙ … בְּ/עֶשְׂרִ֣ים כָּ֔סֶף
Context: note וַיִּמְכְּרוּ then suffix pattern in later verse: יִמְכְּרֶ֥נּוּ
→ מכר Qal Imperfect 3ms + 3ms suffix (נּוּ); energic nun + suffix.

### Imperative + Suffix

Imperative 2ms + 1cs — Psa 16:1 — שָׁמְרֵ֥נִי אֵ֑ל כִּ֖י חָסִ֣יתִי בָֽךְ
"Keep me, O God, for I take refuge in you."
→ שמר Qal Imperative 2ms + 1cs suffix (נִי); direct petitionary prayer — the imperative + suffix is the standard prayer address form.

Imperative 2ms + 1cs — Gen 47:29 — אַל\־נָ֥א תִקְבְּרֵ֖נִי בְּ/מִצְרָ֑יִם
"Please do not bury me in Egypt."
→ קבר Qal Jussive (Negative) + 1cs suffix; Jacob's deathbed request to Joseph.

### Infinitive Construct + Suffix (Temporal Clause)

Inf. Const. + 3ms — Gen 39:19 — כִּ/שְׁמֹ֣עַ אֲדֹנָ֗יו אֶת\־דִּבְרֵ֤י אִשְׁתּ֙/וֹ
"When his master heard the words of his wife…"
→ שמע Qal Inf.Const. + כְּ (temporal) + 3ms genitive/subject suffix; "when his master heard" — not a direct object here but subject suffix on Inf.Const.

Inf. Const. + 1cs — Gen 19:19 — לְ/הַ֨מְּלִיטֵ֔נִי וְ/הִנֵּ֣ה הָ/עִ֤יר הַ/זֹּאת֙
"…to save me, and look, this city is near."
→ מלט Hiphil Inf.Const. + ל + 1cs suffix; Lot's plea; suffix as direct object of Hiphil infinitive.

## 7. Suffix Distribution by Conjugation (OT-wide, Qal)

Conjugation | Verb+Suffix Tokens | Notes
--- | --- | ---
Infinitive Construct | ~1,488 | Most common; preposition + Inf.Const. + suffix = temporal/purpose clauses
Imperfect | ~1,383 | Energic nun appears before נִי, הוּ, נוּ
Weqatal | ~1,175 | Sequential future + suffix
Wayyiqtol | ~1,028 | Narrative + suffix
Perfect | ~577 | Less common; connecting vowel before suffix
Imperative | ~395 | Prayer and command; + נִי very common
Jussive | ~52 | Rare

> Teaching note: The Infinitive Construct + suffix is the most common construction (כִּשְׁמֹעַ = "when he heard"; בְּרֹאֹתוֹ = "when he saw him"). The suffix on the Inf.Const. typically marks the subject of the infinitive, not the object — this is the major exception to the rule that verb suffixes are direct objects.

> On the Imperfect, watch for the energic nun (נּ) buffer: יִשְׁמְרֶ֥נּוּ (he will keep him) has a doubled nun — the energic nun + the suffix נוּ. This is a reliable diagnostic.

## 8. Parsing Quick Reference

Form | Base Verb | Suffix | Gloss
--- | --- | --- | ---
שְׁמָרַ֥נִי | שמר Qal Perf. 3ms | + 1cs | "he kept me"
שְׁמָרְ/ךָ | שמר Qal Perf. 3ms | + 2ms | "he kept you"
שְׁמָרוֹ | שמר Qal Perf. 3ms | + 3ms | "he kept him"
שְׁמָרָ֥נוּ | שמר Qal Perf. 3ms | + 1cp | "he kept us"
יִשְׁמְרֵ֥נִי | שמר Qal Impf. 3ms | + 1cs | "he will keep me"
יִשְׁמְרֶ֥נּוּ | שמר Qal Impf. 3ms | + 3ms | "he will keep him" (energic nun)
יִשְׁמְרֵ֥נוּ | שמר Qal Impf. 3ms | + 1cp | "he will keep us"
שָׁמְרֵ֥נִי | שמר Qal Imper. 2ms | + 1cs | "Keep me!"
שְׁלָחַ֥נִי | שלח Qal Perf. 3ms | + 1cs | "he sent me" (Gen 45:5)
וַיִּרְאֵ֥הוּ | ראה Qal Wayyiq. 3ms | + 3ms | "and he saw him" (III-ה)
וַ/יִּשְׁלָחֵ֥הוּ | שלח Qal Wayyiq. 3ms | + 3ms | "and he sent him"
כִּ/שְׁמֹ֣עַ/וֹ | שמע Qal Inf.Const. | + 3ms (subj.) | "when he heard"
בְּ/רֹאֹת/וֹ | ראה Qal Inf.Const. | + 3ms (subj.) | "when he saw" (III-ה)