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unfoldingWord Hebrew Grammar ⌂ ©

Particle Demonstrative

Summary

Demonstrative particles function to direct the attention of a listener or reader.

Article

Biblical Hebrew has only a few demonstrative particles, with the two most common ones being הִנֵּה and הֵ֣ן. The specific function of a demonstrative particle is to draw attention to whatever immediately follows the particle, either a single word or an entire phrase. Similar to the exhortation particle, demonstrative particles are sometimes left untranslated. Demonstrative particles can stand alone or take a pronominal suffix and/or a prefixed conjunction.

Function

Directs the attention of the listener

When used in direct speech, the demonstrative particle functions to direct the attention of the person listening to the speech. This function of the demonstrative particle also serves to make a presentation of a person/thing from one person to another (see GEN 12:19 below).

Example: JOS 3:11
הִנֵּה֙ אֲרֹ֣ון הַבְּרִ֔ית אֲדֹ֖ון כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ עֹבֵ֥ר לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם
בַּיַּרְדֵּֽן׃
hinneh 'arown habberith 'adown kol-ha'arets 'over lifnekhem
bayyarden
Look ark-of the-covenant-of lord-of all_the-earth is-crossing
before-you into-the-Jordan.
Look! The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth
crosses over ahead of you into the Jordan.

OET comparison: JOS 3:11: RV JOS 3:11 · LV JOS 3:11 · Read together JOS 3:11

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OET-RV JOS 3:11

11 Listen, the sacred chest containing the slabs that belongs to the master who owns the whole world, is about to be taken across the Yarden (Jordan) in front of you.
Example: ISA 65:1
אָמַ֨רְתִּי֙ הִנֵּ֣נִי הִנֵּ֔נִי אֶל־גֹּ֖וי לֹֽא־קֹרָ֥א
בִשְׁמִֽי׃
'amartiy hinneni hinneni 'el-gowy lo-qora vishmi
I-said look-me look-me to_nation not_called by-my-name.
I said ""Here I am! Here I am!"" to a nation that did not call on my name.

OET comparison: ISA 65:1: RV ISA 65:1 · LV ISA 65:1 · Read together ISA 65:1

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OET-RV ISA 65:1

65 “I let myself be consulted by those who hadn’t asked,
 ⇔ ≈ I let myself be found by those who hadn’t searched for me.
 ⇔ I said, ‘Here I am. Here I am.’ to a nation that wasn’t even calling out my name.
Example: GEN 12:19
וְעַתָּ֕ה הִנֵּ֥ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֖ קַ֥ח וָלֵֽךְ׃  
insert transliteration  
and-now behold your-wife take and-go  
Now therefore here is your wife. Take her and go your way.

OET comparison: GEN 12:19: RV GEN 12:19 · LV GEN 12:19 · Read together GEN 12:19

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OET-RV GEN 12:19

19 Why did you say, ‘She’s my sister,’ so that I took her in as a wife? Now then, here’s your wife. Take her and get out of here.”

Word details: ׃

Directs the attention of the reader

When used in narrative or poetry (not in direct speech), the demonstrative particles functions to direct the attention of the person reading the text. This function of the demonstrative particle often directs the attention of the reader to a scene that a person within the narrative is observing at that moment (see GEN 1:31 and GEN 8:13 below).

Example: ISA 40:10
הִנֵּ֤ה שְׂכָרֹו֙ אִתֹּ֔ו
hinneh sekharow 'ittow
Look his-reward with-him
See, his reward is with him

OET comparison: ISA 40:10: RV ISA 40:10 · LV ISA 40:10 · Read together ISA 40:10

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OET-RV ISA 40:10

 ⇔  10 Look, my master Yahweh will be coming with strength,
 ⇔ ≈ and he will be ruling with power.
 ⇔ Look, he’s bringing his reward
 ⇔ ≈ and his wages are there in front of him.

Word details: ׃

Example: GEN 1:31
וַיַּ֤רְא אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְהִנֵּה־ט֖וֹב מְאֹ֑ד
insert transliteration
And-he-saw God [dir.obj]_all_that he-made and-behold _good very
God saw everything that he had made. Behold, it was very good.

OET comparison: GEN 1:31: RV GEN 1:31 · LV GEN 1:31 · Read together GEN 1:31

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OET-RV GEN 1:31

31 and he saw everything that he’d made, and wow, it was very good. Then evening came, and later morning came, and that was the end of the sixth day.
Example: GEN 8:13
וַיַּ֕רְא וְהִנֵּ֥ה חָֽרְב֖וּ פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה
insert transliteration
And-he-saw and-behold it-was-dry face-of [def.art]-ground
looked out, and saw that behold the surface of the ground was dry

OET comparison: GEN 8:13: RV GEN 8:13 · LV GEN 8:13 · Read together GEN 8:13

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OET-RV GEN 8:13

13 So it was when Noah was 601 years old (in the month of WHAT MONTH on the first day of the Jewish new year) the land was still drying out. So Noah made an opening in the top of the wooden chest and saw that the land surface there was almost dry.