Particle Affirmation

Summary

Affirmation particles express a sense of “addition to” or “affirmation of” something in a text.

Article

Biblical Hebrew contains three major particles that, used either individually or in combination, express an “affirmation of” or “addition to” some aspect of the text. These particles can have a scope as narrow as a single word or phrase, or as broad as an entire sentence or paragraph.

אַף

This word is flexible in meaning; sometimes it appears to function more like a Conjunction and sometimes more like an Adverb. This word does not have a single translation value, but must be translated with great sensitivity to its context. In English, אַף is often translated with a family of different words, including “also”, “even”, “only”, “truly”, and/or other terms that can convey the general concepts of affirmation or addition. Sometimes it is left untranslated, in instances where there is no satisfactory way to communicate the sense of the word as used in its specific context.

Example: ISA 40:24
אַ֣ף בַּל־נִטָּ֗עוּ אַ֚ף בַּל־זֹרָ֔עוּ אַ֛ף בַּל־שֹׁרֵ֥שׁ

בָּאָ֖רֶץ גִּזְעָ֑ם

‘af bal-nitta’u ‘af bal-zora’u ‘af bal-shoresh ba’arets

giz’am

Really not_they-are-planted really not_they-are-sown

really not_taken-root in-the-earth their-stem

See, they are barely planted; see, they are barely sown;

see, their stem has barely taken root in the earth

Example: PSA 65:14 (PSA 65:13 in Hebrew)

יִ֝תְרוֹעֲע֗וּ אַף־יָשִֽׁירוּ

yithro’a’u ‘af-yashiru

They-shout-for-joy yes_they-sing.

They shout for joy, and they sing.

Example: GEN 40:16

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף אַף־אֲנִי֙ בַּחֲלוֹמִ֔י

wayyomer ‘el-yosef ‘af-‘aniy bahalomi

and-he-said to_Joseph also_I in-my-dream

he also said to Joseph, “I also had a dream

Example: JOB 14:3

אַף־עַל־זֶ֭ה פָּקַ֣חְתָּ עֵינֶ֑ךָ

‘af-‘al-zeh paqahta ‘enekha

Even_on_this you-open your-eyes

Yahweh, why do you keep watching me to see if I am doing something

that is wrong?

גַּם

Like אַף, this word appears to function sometimes more like a Conjunction and sometimes more like an Adverb. This word does not have a single translation value, but must be translated with great sensitivity to its context. In English, גַּם is often translated with a family of different words, including “also”, “indeed”, “even”, and/or other terms that can convey the general concepts of affirmation or addition.

Example: GEN 27:33

גַּם־בָּר֖וּךְ יִהְיֶֽה

gam-barukh yihyeh

Indeed_blessed he.

Indeed, he will be blessed.

Example: JOB 21:7

מַדּ֣וּעַ רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִחְי֑וּ עָ֝תְק֗וּ גַּם־גָּ֥בְרוּ חָֽיִל

maddua’ resha’im yihyu ‘othqu gam-gavru hayil

Why wicked live become-old yes_become-mighty power?

Why do wicked people continue to live, become old, also grow

mighty in power?

Example: GEN 44:16

גַּם־אֲנַ֕חְנוּ גַּ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־נִמְצָ֥א הַגָּבִ֖יעַ בְּיָדֽוֹ׃

gam-‘anahnu gam ‘asher-nimtsa haggavia’ beyado

both_we and who it-was-found the-cup in-his-hand

both we and the one in whose sack the cup was found.

Example: GEN 3:6 –– here the word גַּם is left untranslated

וַתִּתֵּ֧ן גַּם־לְאִישָׁ֛הּ עִמָּ֖הּ וַיֹּאכַֽל׃

wattitten gam-le’ishah ‘immah wayyokhal

And-she-gave also to-her-husband with-her and-he-ate.

Then she gave some to her husband, and he ate it.

כִּי

Note

כִּי is one of the most flexible words in Biblical Hebrew in terms of its meaning. It can function either as a conjunction or as a particle, with many different potential meanings. If in doubt, it is recommended to always consult a dictionary or lexicon to confirm how the word is being used in any specific instance.

Example: EXO 3:12

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ כִּֽי־אֶֽהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ

wayyomer ki-‘eheyeh ‘immakh

And-he-said yes_I-will-be with-you.

God replied, “I will certainly be with you.”

אַף כִּי

When paired together, these two particles function as a single unit, expressing a strong sense of affirmation or addition. Again, this compound particle must be translated with extreme sensitivity to the context in order to convey its precise nuance.

Example: GEN 3:1

אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים

‘af ki-‘amar ‘elohim

really_has-said God

has God really said

אִם (after oath formulas)

When the word אִם follows oath formulas, it functions as an affirmation particle to strengthen the force of the oath, either negatively (as אִם alone) or positively (as אִם־לֹא).

Example: GEN 42:15 —— expressing emphatic negation

חֵ֤י פַרְעֹה֙ אִם־תֵּצְא֣וּ מִזֶּ֔ה

he far’oh ‘im-tetse’u mizzeh

life-of pharaoh if_you-will-go-out from-this

by the life of Pharaoh, you will not leave here

Example: NUM 14:28 –– expressing emphatic affirmation

חַי־אָ֨נִי֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה אִם־לֹ֕א

hay-‘aniy ne’um-yehwah ‘im-lo

alive_I saying-of_Yahweh if_not

as I live,’ says Yahweh, ‘(…) I will