Summary
A preposition introduces a phrase that describes another word/concept within a sentence, usually a noun or a verb. However, like adverbs and particles, sometimes a prepositional phrase can describe the sentence as a whole. In Biblical Hebrew, prepositions can also be used with an infinitive construct verb to show its relationship to the main verb of a sentence.
Article
Both Biblical Hebrew and Biblical Aramaic have four primary prepositions:
the prefix בְּ (in, at, by); the prefix לְ (to, for); the prefix כְּ (as, like); and the prefix מִ
(which is a shortened form of the independent preposition מִן, meaning
“from”). However, there is also a family of other prepositions.
It is common for prepositions to be
combined together or with a noun to form new words that have their own
range of meanings (similar to compound conjunctions)
that may or may not overlap with the meaning of the individual component terms.
In Biblical Hebrew, prepositions also function to describe the relationship between a
non-finite verbal complement (infinitive construct verbs
and active or passive participles) and the finite
main verb of a sentence. In some of these instances, the preposition introduces a dependent verbal phrase
and thus changes its typical meaning. These specialized uses of prepositions are listed in the article
on infinitive construct verbs.
Types
In Biblical Hebrew, there are 11 general categories of prepositions: indirect object; spatial; locative; temporal; instrumental;
correlative; comparative; directional; causal; explanatory; and direct object.
However, this are also other types of prepositions in Biblical Hebrew. The specific meanings of individual prepositions can
be found in a dictionary or lexicon.
Indirect Object
A common use of the preposition לְ (also אֶל, with verbs of speaking) is to indicate the indirect object or recipient of the verbal action.
When used in this way, the preposition is usually transated into English with “to” or “for”, or it can be left untranslated.
GEN 1:5 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ
| וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים׀ לָ אֹור֙ יֹ֔ום |
| wayyiqra ‘elohim la’owr yowm |
| And-he-called to-the-light day |
| God called the light “day” |
GEN 3:2 –– with the independent preposition אֶל
| וַתֹּ֥אמֶר הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־הַנָּחָ֑שׁ |
| insert transliteration |
| And-she-said the-woman to _the-serpent |
| The woman said to the serpent |
Spatial
Spatial prepositions are translated into English with terms such as “in”, “on”, “under”, “with”, “beside”, etc.
This is a common use of the preposition בְּ.
GEN 3:10 –– with the prefixed preposition בְּ
| אֶת־קֹלְךָ֥ שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בַּגָּ֑ן |
| insert transliteration |
| [dir-obj]_your-sound I-heard in-the-garden |
| I heard you in the garden |
GEN 1:2 –– with the independent preposition עַל
| וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם |
| weruah ‘elohim merahefeth ‘al-pene hammayim |
| and-spirit-of God hovering over_face-of the-waters |
| The Spirit of God was moving above the surface of the waters. |
GEN 8:9 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ
| וַתָּ֤שָׁב אֵלָיו֙ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֔ה |
| insert transliteration |
| And-she-returned to him to the ark |
| and she returned to him in the ark |
GEN 3:23 –– with the independent preposition מִן
| וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֛הוּ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים מִגַּן־עֵ֑דֶן |
| insert transliteration |
| And-he-sent-him-away Yahweh God from-the-garden-of_Eden |
| Therefore Yahweh God sent him out from the garden of Eden |
Temporal
Temporal prepositions are translated into English with terms such as “in”, “at”, “until”, “before”, “after”, etc.
This is a common use of the preposition בְּ.
GEN 1:1 –– with the prefixed preposition בְּ
| בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים |
| insert transliteration |
| In-beginning he-created God |
| In the beginning God created |
GEN 3:19 –– with the independent preposition עַד
| עַ֤ד שֽׁוּבְךָ֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה |
| insert transliteration |
| until you-return to_the-ground |
| until you return to the ground |
Instrumental
Instrumental prepositions are translated into English with terms such as “by”, “with”, “by means of”, etc.
This is a common use of the preposition בְּ.
GEN 3:19 –– with the prefixed preposition בְּ
| בְּזֵעַ֤ת אַפֶּ֙יךָ֙ תֹּ֣אכַל לֶ֔חֶם |
| beze‘ath ‘appekha thokhal lehem |
| By-sweat-of your-face you-will-eat bread |
| By the sweat of your face you will eat bread |
GEN 4:1 –– with the independent preposition אֵת
| וַתֹּ֕אמֶר קָנִ֥יתִי אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־יְהוָֽה |
| watthomer qanithi ‘ish **‘et**_yehwah |
| And-she-said I-acquired man with_Yahweh |
| She said “I have produced a man with Yahweh’s help. |
Correlative
Correlative prepositions are translated into English with terms such as “like”, “as”, “according to”, etc.
This is the primary use of the preposition כְּ.
GEN 4:17 –– with the prefixed preposition כְּ
| וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הָעִ֔יר כְּשֵׁ֖ם בְּנ֥וֹ חֲנֽוֹךְ |
| wayyiqra‘ shem ha‘ir keshem benow hanokh |
| And-he-called name-of the-city as-name-of his-son Enoch |
| and named it after his son Enoch. |
GEN 12:4 –– preposition כְּ with relative particle אֲשֶׁר
| וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אַבְרָ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה |
| wayyelekh ‘avram ka‘asher dibber ‘elaw yehwah |
| And-he-went Abram as-what he-had-spoken to-him Yahweh |
| So Abram went as Yahweh had told him to do |
Comparative
Comparative prepositions are translated into English with terms such as “more than” or “greater than”, etc.
This is a common use of the preposition מִן.
Gen 29:30 –– with the prefixed preposition מִן
| וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב גַּֽם־אֶת־רָחֵ֖ל מִלֵּאָ֑ה |
| wayye‘ehav gam_‘eth_rahel mille‘a |
| And-he-loved also_[dir-obj]_Rachel more-than-Leah |
| but he loved Rachel more than Leah |
GEN 3:1 –– with the prefixed preposition מִן
| וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה |
| wehannahash hayah ‘arum mikkol hayyath hassadeh |
| And-serpent he-was shrewd from-all-of animals-of the-field |
| Now the serpent was more shrewd than any other beast of the field |
Directional
Directional prepositions are translated into English with terms such as “to”, “toward”, etc.
This is a common use of the preposition לְ.
ISA 51:6 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ
| שְׂאוּ֩ לַשָּׁמַ֨יִם עֵֽינֵיכֶ֜ם |
| se‘u lashamayim ‘eynekhem |
| you-lift to-the-heavens your-eyes |
| Lift up your eyes to the sky |
GEN 18:16 –– with the independent preposition עַל
| וַיַּשְׁקִ֖פוּ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י סְדֹ֑ם |
| wayyashqifu **‘al**_pene sedom |
| And-they-looked on_face-of Sodom |
| and looked down toward Sodom |
Causal
Causal prepositions are translated into English with terms such as “for” or “because”, etc.
This is a secondary use of the prepositions לְ and עַל.
GEN 4:6 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ
| וְלָ֖מָּה נָפְל֥וּ פָנֶֽיךָ׃ |
| welammah nafelu fanekha |
| and-for-what he-is-fallen your-face |
| and why are you scowling? |
GEN 26:7 –– with the independent preposition עַל
| פֶּן־יַֽהַרְגֻ֜נִי אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ עַל־רִבְקָ֔ה |
| pen_yahareguni ‘anshe hammaqom **‘al**_rivqah |
| Lest_they-kill-me men-of the-place because-of_Rebekah |
| The men of this place will kill me to get Rebekah |
Explanatory
Explanatory prepositions are often translated into English with terms such as “as”, “for”, “to”, or it can be left untranslated.
This is a common use of the preposition לְ.
GEN 1:14 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ
| וְהָי֤וּ לְאֹתֹת֙ וּלְמ֣וֹעֲדִ֔ים וּלְיָמִ֖ים וְשָׁנִֽים |
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| wehayu le‘othoth ulemo‘adim uleyamim weshanim |
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| And-they-are for-signs and-for-seasons and-for-days and-years |
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| and let them be as signs |
for seasons |
for days and years |
GEN 12:19 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ
| וָאֶקַּ֥ח אֹתָ֛הּ לִ֖י לְאִשָּׁ֑ה |
| wa‘eqqah ‘othah li le‘isha |
| And-I-took [dir.obj]-her to-me as-wife |
| I took her to be my wife |
Direct Object
A rare use of the preposition לְ is to indicate the direct object of the verb. When used in this way,
the preposition is almost always left untranslated in English.
1 CHR 29:22
| וַיַּמְלִ֤יכוּ שֵׁנִית֙ לִשְׁלֹמֹ֣ה בֶן־דָּוִ֔יד |
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| wayyamlikhu shenith lishelomoh ven_dawid |
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| And-they-crowned second [dir.obj]-Solomon son-of_David |
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| They made Solomon |
David’s son |
king a second time |