Preposition Definite Article

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.

Note

When a word contains both a prefixed preposition and a definite article, the ה consonant of the definite article disappears and the shewa under the preposition lengthens, usually either to a pathah vowel or a qamets vowel.

Article

Biblical Hebrew has four main 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 in Biblical Hebrew. It is common in Biblical Hebrew 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 have a specialized function of describing the relationship between a verbal complement (infinitive construct or participles) and the main verb of a sentence. In some of these instances, the preposition introduces a dependent verbal clauses and thus changes its typical meaning. These specialized uses of prepositions are listed in the article on infinitive construct verbs.

Note

Of all the different kinds of words, prepositions are perhaps the most flexible in their meaning and are often translated in a variety of ways, or sometimes even left untranslated. For this reason, prepositions must always be translated with great sensitivity to the context of each use. A dictionary or lexicon will describe the various possible meanings of each preposition, but generally will not include a complete list of individual usages.

In Biblical Hebrew, there are 11 general types 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.

Form

Prefix Preposition (with and without the definite article)

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
normal noun	נָהָר	nahar	river
noun + preposition only	בְּנָהָר	benahar	in a river
noun + definite article only	הַנָּהָר	hannahar	the river
noun + preposition + definite article	בַּנָּהָר	bannahar	in the river

Preposition before a noun starting with a normal shewa

Word	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
normal noun	מְרַגֵּל	meraggel	spy
noun + preposition only	כִּמְרַגֵּל	kimraggel	like a spy
noun + definite article only	הַמְּרַגֵּל	hammeraggel	the spy
noun + preposition + definite article	כַּמְּרַגֵּל	kammeraggel	like the spy

Preposition before a noun with a guttural first consonant

Word	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
normal noun	אִישׁ	‘ish	man
noun + preposition only	לְאִישׁ	le’ish	to a man
noun + definite article only	הָאִישׁ	ha’ish	the man
noun + preposition + definite article	לָאִישׁ	la’ish	to the man

Preposition before a noun starting with a composite shewa

Word	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
normal noun	אֳנִיָה	‘oniyah	ship
noun + preposition only	כָּאֳנִיָה	ko’oniyah	like a ship
noun + definite article only	הָאֳנִיָה	ha’oniyah	the ship
noun + preposition + definite article	כָּאֳנִיָה	ka’oniyah	like the ship

Examples

GEN 1:1 –– בְּ preposition without definite article.

בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים

bereshith bara ‘elohim

In-beginning he-created God

In the beginning, God created

ISA 5:11 –– בְּ preposition with definite article (shewa lengthens to pathah vowel).

הֹ֛וי מַשְׁכִּימֵ֥י בַבֹּ֖קֶר

howy mashkime vabboqer

Woe those-rising-early in-the-morning

Woe to those who rise up early in the morning

GEN 1:5 –– לְ preposition with definite article (shewa lengthens to qamets vowel).

וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים׀ לָאֹור֙ יֹ֔ום

wayyiqra ‘elohim la’owr yowm

And-he-called to-the-light day

God called the light “day”

GEN 1:18 –– לְ preposition with infinitive construct verb.

וְלִמְשֹׁל֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה

welimshol bayyom uvallaylah

and to rule in the day and in the night

to rule over the day and over the night