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In English, the second person pronouns are "you" and "your," used for both singular and plural. In Biblical Hebrew, terms which
are marked for second personal can change form according to both gender (masculine and
feminine) and number (singular or plural). In Biblical Hebrew,
verbs, pronouns, and pronominal suffixes can all be marked
for second person.
Neither English nor Hebrew have a formal second person address. In many languages (including German, Spanish, and French),
a speaker addresses God using an informal address. In some other languages, such as Dutch, a speaker addresses God using a
formal address. For more information, see translationAcademy and
translationNotes.
Examples
Finite verb marked for second person
A finite verb (and/or verbal participle) in second person form
indicates that the subject of the verb is the person(s) being addressed by the writer/speaker.
Example: GEN 22:18
| עֵ֕קֶב אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ בְּקֹלִֽי |
| because that you-have-obeyed on-voice-of-me. |
| because you listened to my voice. |
Personal pronoun marked for second person
A second person independent personal pronoun refers either to the person being addressed by the writer/speaker (for singular)
or to an entire group to which that person belongs (for plural).
Example: JER 12:1
| צַדִּ֤יק אַתָּה֙ |
| tsaddiq 'attah |
| righteous you |
| you are righteous |
Pronominal suffix marked for second person
A second person pronominal suffix usually functions either as a personal pronoun (for verbs and prepositions) or as a possessive
adjective (for nouns).
As attached to a verb
Example: 2CH 15:2
| וְאִֽם־תִּדְרְשֻׁ֨הוּ֙ יִמָּצֵ֣א לָכֶ֔ם |
| we'im-tidreshuhu yimmatse lakhem |
| And-if_you-seek-him he-will-be-found by-you |
| If you seek him, he will be found by you |
As attached to a noun
Example: 1CH 29:12
| וּבְיָדְךָ֖ כֹּ֣חַ וּגְבוּרָ֑ה |
| uveyodkha koah ugevurah |
| and-in-your-hand power and-strength. |
| In your hand is power and might. |
As attached to a preposition
Example: GEN 6:20
| שְׁנַ֧יִם מִכֹּ֛ל יָבֹ֥אוּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ |
| shenayim mikkol yavo'u 'eleykha |
| two of-all will-come to-you |
| two of every sort will come to you |
Example: PSA 74:16
| לְךָ֣ יֹ֭ום אַף־לְךָ֥ לָ֑יְלָה |
| lekha yowm 'af-lekha laylah |
| To-you day also_to-you night |
| The day is yours, and the night is yours also |
