Pronoun Demonstrative

Summary

A demonstrative pronoun refers to a specific person(s) or thing(s) in particular. In English, the following words are demonstrative pronouns: “this”, “that”, “these”, “those”.

Article

In Biblical Hebrew, demonstrative pronouns can function either as nouns or adjectives. Demonstrative pronouns can change form according to gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) but NOT according to person (i.e. first, second, or third person).

Form

Paradigm

Demonstrative Pronoun Paradigm

Parsing

Hebrew

Transliteration

Gloss

masculine singular near

(or זֶה (זֹה / זֹו

zeh (or zow / zoh)

this

feminine singular near

זֹאת

zoth

this

masculine singular far

הוּא

hu

that

feminine singular far

הִיא

hi

that

common plural near

אֵלֶּה

‘elleh

these

masculine plural far

הֵם / הֵמָּה

hemmah / hem

those

feminine plural far

הֵנָּה

hennah

those

Note

The “far” demonstrative pronouns are identical to certain personal pronouns and must be distinguished by the context.

Function

As a noun

Example: JDG 7:4
וְהָיָ֡ה אֲשֶׁר֩ אֹמַ֨ר אֵלֶ֜יךָ זֶ֣ה ׀ יֵלֵ֣ךְ

אִתָּ֗ךְ ה֚וּא יֵלֵ֣ךְ אִתָּ֔ךְ

wehayah ‘asher ‘omar ‘eleykha zeh yelekh ‘ittakh hu yelekh

‘ittakh

And-it-is that I-will-say to-you this will-go with-you that

will-go with-you

If I say to you, “This one will go with you,” he will go with

you

Reciprocal

Demonstrative pronouns can be used to distinguish individuals within a group interacting with each other.

Example: ISA 6:3

וְקָרָ֨א זֶ֤ה אֶל־זֶה֙

weqara zeh ‘el-zeh

And-it-called this to_this

And each one called to another

Apposition to a noun

Example: GEN 27:21

הַֽאַתָּ֥ה זֶ֛ה בְּנִ֥י

ha’attah zeh beni

the-you this my-son

you are my true son

As an adjective

as an attributive adjective

When used as an attributive adjective, a demonstrative pronoun often follows the noun, and both terms can take the definite article. Sometimes neither the noun nor the demonstrative pronoun takes the definite article. In either case, the demonstrative pronoun makes the described noun definite.

Example: ISA 18:23

הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה

haddevarim ha’elleh

the-words the-these

these words

Example: JOS 2:20

דְּבָרֵ֣נוּ זֶ֑ה

devarenu zeh

our-business this

this business of ours

Example: 1KI 19:5

וְהִנֵּֽה־זֶ֤ה מַלְאָךְ֙

wehinneh-zeh mal’akh

And-behold this angel

Suddenly an angel

as a Predicative adjective

Example: JDG 4:14

זֶ֤ה הַיּוֹם֙

zeh hayyom

this the-day

this is the day

As a relative particle

Example: PSA 74:2

הַר־צִ֝יֹּ֗ון זֶ֤ה׀ שָׁכַ֬נְתָּ בֹּֽו׃

har-tsiyyown zeh shakhanta bow

Mount_Zion this you-lived in-it.

Mount Zion, where you live.

Example: PSA 104:26

לִ֝וְיָתָ֗ן זֶֽה־יָצַ֥רְתָּ

liwyathan zeh-yatsarta

Leviathan this_you-formed

Leviathan, which you formed

Example: GEN 47:6

אֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לְפָנֶ֣יךָ הִ֔וא

‘erets mitsrayim lefaneykha hiw

Land-of Egypt to-your-face that

The land of Egypt is before you