Summary
Pronominal suffixes refer to a person(s) or thing(s) and can be attached to nouns, verbs, prepositions, participles,
infinitives, even some particles. A pronominal suffix nearly always functions as either a personal pronoun (for example,
"I" or "me" in English) or a possessive pronoun (for example, "my" or "mine" in English).
Article
A pronominal suffix refers to a person(s) or a thing(s) and can change form according to gender
(masculine or
feminine), number (singular or plural), and person
(first, second, or third person).
These various suffixes look quite similar to their corresponding personal pronouns.
Only nouns in the construct state can take a pronominal suffix.
Note
In Biblical Hebrew, a noun always becomes definite when a pronominal suffix is attached to it.
Function
Attached to a noun
When attached to a noun, a pronominal suffix functions as a personal pronoun in a construct relationship
with the noun to which it is attached. Very often, the pronoun functions as a possessive
attributive adjective indentifying the person(s) or thing(s) in possession of that noun.
Example: 2SA 17:23
| וַיָּ֜קָם וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אֶל־עִיר֔וֹ |
| wayyaqom wayyelekh 'el-betho 'el-'iro |
| And-he-stood-up and-went to_his-house to_his-city |
| He went home to his own city |
Example: 2SA 19:4 (2SA 19:1 in Hebrew)
| בְּנִ֤י אַבְשָׁלֹום֙ בְּנִ֣י בְנִ֣י |
| beni 'avshalowm beni veni |
| My-son Absalom my-son my-son |
| My son Absalom, my son, my son! |
Example: EZR 9:12
| וְ֠עַתָּה בְּֽנֹותֵיכֶ֞ם אַל־תִּתְּנ֣וּ לִבְנֵיהֶ֗ם וּבְנֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ אַל־תִּשְׂא֣וּ לִבְנֵיכֶ֔ם |
| we'attah benowthekhem 'al-tittenu livnehem uvenothehem 'al-tis'u livnekhem |
| And-now your-daughters not_give to-their-sons and-their-daughters not_take for-your-sons |
| So now, do not give your daughters to their sons; do not take their daughters for your sons |
Attached to a finite verb
A pronominal suffix can be attached to any finite verb conjugation to indicate the direct object of the verb. In these cases,
the pronominal suffix always functions as a personal pronoun.
Example: GEN 37:14
| וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֨הוּ֙ מֵעֵ֣מֶק חֶבְרֹ֔ון וַיָּבֹ֖א שְׁכֶֽמָה׃ |
| wayyishlahehu me'emeq hevrown wayyavo shekhemah |
| and-he-sent-him from-Valley-of Hebron and-he-came-in Shechem. |
- So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to
- Shechem.
|
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 |
Example: HOS 8:7
| זָרִ֖ים יִבְלָעֻֽהוּ׃ |
| zarim yivla'uhu |
| strangers will-swallow-him |
| foreigners will devour it |
Attached to a preposition
Similar to verbs, a pronominal suffix attached to a preposition is always the object of that preposition, functioning as a
personal pronoun.
בְּ
Example: 1SA 25:28
| וְרָעָ֛ה לֹא־תִמָּצֵ֥א בְךָ֖ מִיָּמֶֽיךָ׃ |
| wera'ah lo-thimmatse vekha miyyameykha |
| and-evil not_will-be-found in-you from-your-days |
| and evil will not be found in you so long as you live. |
Example: JOB 39:12
| הֲתַאֲמִ֣ין בֹּ֖ו |
| hatha'amin bow |
| Do-you-believe in-him |
| Will you depend on him? |
כְּ
Example: 2KI 17:15
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֹתָ֔ם לְבִלְתִּ֖י עֲשֹׂ֥ות כָּהֶֽם׃ |
| 'asher tsiwwah yehwah 'otham levilti 'asowth kahem |
- whom had-commanded Yahweh [dir.obj]-them to-abstain doing
- like-them
|
| those that Yahweh had commanded them not to do like them. |
Example: ISA 46:9
| וְאֶ֥פֶס כָּמֹֽונִי׃ |
| we'efes kamowni |
| and no-one like-me |
| and there is no one like me. |
לְ and אֶל
Example: EXO 19:5
| כִּי־לִ֖י כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ |
| ki-li kol-ha'arets |
| for_to-me all_the-earth |
| for all the earth is mine. |
Example: EXO 9:13
| וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו |
| we'amarta 'elayw |
| and-say to-him |
| and say to him |
Example: JDG 11:36
| וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו |
| wattomer 'elayw |
| And-she-said to-him |
| She said to him |
עַל
Example: DEU 17:14
| אָשִׂ֤ימָה עָלַי֙ מֶ֔לֶךְ |
| 'asimah 'alay melekh |
| I-will-set over-me king |
| I will set a king over myself |
Example: ISA 62:5
| יָשִׂ֥ישׂ עָלַ֖יִךְ אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ׃ |
| yasis 'alayikh 'elohayikh |
| he-will-rejoice over-you your-God. |
| your God will rejoice over you. |
אַחַר
Example: 2CH 8:8
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר נֹותְר֤וּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ |
| 'asher nowthru 'aharehem ba'arets |
| who were-left after-them in-the-land |
| who were left after them in the land |
Example: JER 9:16 (JER 9:15 in Hebrew)
| וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֤י אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם֙ אֶת־הַחֶ֔רֶב |
| weshillahti 'aharehem 'eth-haherev |
| and-I-will-send-out after-them [dir.obj]_the-sword |
| I will send out a sword after them |
תַּחַת
Example: DEU 28:23
| וְהָאָ֥רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־תַּחְתֶּ֖יךָ בַּרְזֶֽל׃ |
| weha'arets 'asher-tahteykha barzel |
| and-the-earth which_under-you will-be-iron. |
| and the earth that is under you will be iron. |
Example: PSA 47:3 (PSA 47:4 in Hebrew)
| יַדְבֵּ֣ר עַמִּ֣ים תַּחְתֵּ֑ינוּ |
| yadber 'ammim tahtenu |
| He-will-drive-back peoples beneath-us |
| He subdues peoples under us |
עַד
Example: NUM 23:18
| הַאֲזִ֥ינָה עָדַ֖י בְּנֹ֥ו צִפֹּֽר׃ |
| ha'azinah 'aday benow tsippor |
| Listen unto-me son-of Zippor. |
| Listen to me, you son of Zippor. |
Example: AMO 4:10
| וְלֹֽא־שַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עָדַ֖י |
| welo-shavtem 'aday |
| And-not you-have-returned unto-me |
| Yet you have not returned to me |
מִן
Example: GEN 22:12
| וְלֹ֥א חָשַׂ֛כְתָּ אֶת־בִּנְךָ֥ אֶת־יְחִידְךָ֖ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ |
| welo hasakhta 'eth-binkha 'eth-yehidekha mimmenni |
- and-not you-witheld [dir.obj]_your-son [dir.obj]_your-only
- from-me.
|
| you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me. |
Example: 1CH 29:14
| כִּֽי־מִמְּךָ֣ הַכֹּ֔ל |
| ki-mimmekha hakkol |
| for_from-you the-all |
| all things come from you |
עִם
Example: PSA 50:18
| וַתִּ֣רֶץ עִמֹּ֑ו |
| wattirets 'immow |
| and-you-are-pleased with-him |
| you agree with him |
Example: ZEC 14:5
| כָּל־קְדֹשִׁ֖ים עִמָּֽךְ׃ |
| kol-qedoshim 'immakh |
| all_holy-ones with-you |
| all the holy ones will be with you |
אֵת
When the preposition אֵת takes a pronominal suffix, it can be distinguished from the direct object marker. The preposition will
take a hireq vowel with a daghesh in the taw consonant (see examples below).
Example: PSA 12:4
| שְׂפָתֵ֣ינוּ אִתָּ֑נוּ |
| sefathenu 'ittanu |
| our-lips with-us. |
| our lips speak and they make us prevail. |
Example: PRO 1:11
| לְכָ֪ה אִ֫תָּ֥נוּ |
| lekhah 'ittanu |
| walk with-us |
| come with us |
Attached to a participle
When attached to a participle, the pronominal suffix can function as a personal pronoun, a possessive adjective, or as a noun
in construct relationship with the particle.
Attached to an infinitive construct
as object of the infinitive
When attached to an infinitive construct, the pronominal suffix can function as the object of the verbal action.
EXAMPLE
as subject of the infinitive
When attached to an infinitive construct, the pronominal suffix can function as the subject of the verbal action described by
the infinitive. In these cases, often the object of the infinitive (with the direct object marker) will appear immediately
following the infinitive.
EXAMPLE
as possessive adjective describing the infinitive
EXAMPLE
Attached to a particle
SENTENCE/PARAGRAPH
the direct object marker (אֵת)
When the direct object marker takes a pronominal suffix, it can be distinguished from the preposition אֵת. The direct object
marker will take a holem vowel without a daghesh in the taw consonant (see examples below).
Example: 1SA 17:9
| וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֖ם אֹתָֽנוּ׃ |
| wa'avadtem 'othanu |
| and-you-will-serve [dir.obj]-us. |
| then you will serve us. |
Example: JDG 10:13
| וְאַתֶּם֙ עֲזַבְתֶּ֣ם אֹותִ֔י |
| we'attem 'azavtem 'owthi |
| And-you have-left [dir.obj]-me |
| Yet you abandoned me |
the particle הִנֵּה
When attached to the demonstrative particle הִנֵּה, a pronominal suffix can function as either
the object of the particle or the subject of a verbal participle that immediately follows the particle.
as object of the particle
In these cases, the pronominal suffix functions as the object of the verbal action expressed by the demonstrative particle.
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. |
as subject of a participle
Sometimes, a pronominal suffix attached to the particle הִנֵּה functions as the subject of a participle that immediately follows
the particle.
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