State Absolute¶
Summary¶
The absolute state is the standard form of a word (noun, adjective, participle, or infinitive) in contrast to a modified form called the construct state. A word in the absolute state can take a prefix but not a suffix.
Article¶
Nouns, adjectives, participles and infinitives can appear in either the absolute state or the construct state. The absolute state is the standard form and consists of a longer ending as opposed to the shorter construct ending. The most fundamental difference between the two forms is that the construct form can take an attached suffix, but the absolute form cannot. Nouns, adjectives and participles can appear in either the absolute or the construct state for both masculine and feminine terms in both singular and plural forms. Because infinitives do not change form for either gender or number, there isusually only one infinitive construct form and one infinitive absolute form of a verb in Biblical Hebrew.
Note
Many masculine singular nouns appear exactly alike in both the absolute state and the construct state.
Form¶
Paradigm¶
Parsing |
Hebrew |
Transliteration |
Gloss |
Noun, masculine singular absolute |
סוּס |
sus |
stallion |
Noun, masculine plural absolute |
סוּסִים |
susim |
stallions |
Noun, feminine singular absolute |
סוּסָה |
susah |
mare |
Noun, feminine plural absolute |
סוּסוֹת |
susoth |
mares |
Examples¶
Standing alone¶
In Biblical Hebrew, when a term stands alone and is not grammatically connected to another word, it appears in the absolute state. This category includes terms such as a subject/object of a verb or relative phrase, adjectives, adverbial nouns, etc.
בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ |
bara ‘elohim ‘eth hashamayim we’eth ha’arets |
|
God created the heavens and the earth. |
Appearing with a prefix¶
The absolute state cannot take a suffix but can take a prefix, including a conjunction, preposition, definite article, or even a relative particle. For example, a term functioning as the object of a preposition can appear in the absolute state with a prefixed preposition, provided that there is no pronominal suffix. A term with both a prefixed preposition and a pronominal suffix would necessarily appear in the construct state.
בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ |
bara ‘elohim ‘eth hashamayim we’eth ha’arets |
|
God created the heavens and the earth. |
Concluding term of a construct chain¶
The final word in a construct chain always appears in the absolute state either with or without the definite article. This term is often called the “absolute noun.” If the absolute noun in a construct chain is definite, then the entire construct chain is definite. If the absolute noun is indefinite, then the entire construct chain is indefinite.
Indefinite construct chain¶
וַעֲמָשָׂ֣א בֶן־אִ֗ישׁ וּשְׁמֹו֙ יִתְרָ֣א |
wa’amasa ven-‘ish ushemow yithra |
and-Amasa son-of_man and-his-name Jether |
Amasa was a son of a man named Jether |
אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֑ה |
‘ish milhamah |
man-of war |
a warrior |
וַעֲמָשָׂ֣א בֶן־אִ֗ישׁ וּשְׁמֹו֙ יִתְרָ֣א |
wa’amasa ven-‘ish ushemow yithra |
and-Amasa son-of_man and-his-name Jether |
Amasa was a son of a man named Jether |
אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֑ה |
‘ish milhamah |
man-of war |
a warrior |
Definite construct chain¶
בְּאֶ֥בֶן הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ |
be’even hammelekh |
in-weight-of the-king. |
by the weight of the king’s standard. |
אֲר֣וֹן הַבְּרִ֑ית |
‘aron habberith |
ark-of the-covenant |
the ark of the covenant |
בֵּ֣ן לְיִשַׁי֮ |
ben leyishay |
son-of Jesse |
the son of Jesse |