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Update 'content/word_order/02.md'
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# word_order Article
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The normal sentence structure in Biblical Hebrew is: (1) the [verb](https://git.door43.org/Door43/en-uhg/src/master/content/verb/02.md), in first position; (2) the subject, in second position; (3) the object, in third position. Other grammatical elements such as [adjectives](https://git.door43.org/Door43/en-uhg/src/master/content/adjective/02.md), [adverbs](https://git.door43.org/Door43/en-uhg/src/master/content/adverb/02.md), prepositional phrases, discourse [particles](https://git.door43.org/Door43/en-uhg/src/master/content/particle/02.md), etc. can be inserted at various points within that general sentence structure according to the conventions of the language. In the vast majority of cases, variations in word order do not affect the meaning of individual sentences much. However, in certain instances a grammatical element (most especially the subject) placed before the verb has implications for the general structure and/or chunking of a narrative. In these cases, the context must determine whether or not this indicates a new narrative or section of text, or whether or not this indicates a break in the narrative.
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In verbal sentences (that is, sentences with a verb), the structure of the sentence in Biblical Hebrew is: (1) the [verb](https://git.door43.org/Door43/en-uhg/src/master/content/verb/02.md), in first position; (2) the subject, in second position; (3) the object, in third position. Other grammatical elements such as [adjectives](https://git.door43.org/Door43/en-uhg/src/master/content/adjective/02.md), [adverbs](https://git.door43.org/Door43/en-uhg/src/master/content/adverb/02.md), prepositional phrases, discourse [particles](https://git.door43.org/Door43/en-uhg/src/master/content/particle/02.md), etc. can be inserted at various points within that general sentence structure. In most cases, variations from the standard word order are for literary reasons or to add some emphasis (usually on the word moved to the beginning of the sentence), but this does not fundamentally change the meaning. Sometimes however, if a grammatical element (often the subject) is placed before the verb, it has implications for the general structure of a narrative and/or how to best divide up the text in smaller blocks. In these cases, the context must determine whether this introduces a new narrative or section of text, or if it indicates a break in the narrative.
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NOTE: As a general rule, these specific guidelines should not be applied to Hebrew poetry.
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Poetic portions of the Hebrew Bible generally not follow the standard structure for several reasons. For example, they use a lot of nominal sentences that do not have a verb, they use parallelisms where the same thought is repeated twice, as well as other poetic tools.
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#### Introducing a new narrative or section of text (possibly)
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#### The standard word order
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Sometimes a grammatical element (usually the subject) is placed before the verb in order to initiate a new narrative, or a new section of text. Not all narratives begin this way in Biblical Hebrew; narratives often begin with a sequential prefix conjugation verb (see 1 Sam 1:1).
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* GEN 1:4 – with a direct object
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<table border="1" class="docutils">
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<colgroup>
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<col width="100%" />
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</colgroup>
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<tbody valign="top">
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<tr class="row-odd" align="right"><td>וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָאֹ֖ור</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>wayyar 'elohim 'eth-ha'owr</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-odd"><td>and-he-saw God [dir.obj]_the-light</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>and God saw the light</td>
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</tr>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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* EXO 9:1 – with an indirect object
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<table border="1" class="docutils">
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<colgroup>
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<col width="100%" />
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</colgroup>
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<tbody valign="top">
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<tr class="row-odd" align="right"><td>וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>wayyomer yehwah 'el-mosheh</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-odd"><td>and-he-said Yahweh to_Moses</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>And Yahweh said to Moses</td>
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</tr>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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#### Deviation with no change in meaning
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Not indicating a break in the narrative, because here the deviation happens in the middle of a sentence.
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* GEN 1:5
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<table border="1" class="docutils">
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<colgroup>
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<col width="100%" />
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</colgroup>
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<tbody valign="top">
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<tr class="row-odd" align="right"><td>וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים׀ לָאוֹר֙ י֔וֹם **וְלַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ** קָ֣רָא לָ֑יְלָה</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>wayyiqra 'elohim la'or yom **welahoshekh** qara laylah</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-odd"><td>and-he-called God to-the-light day **and-to-the-darkness** he-called night</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>God called the light "day," **and the darkness** he called "night."</td>
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</tr>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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* 2KI 3:22
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<table border="1" class="docutils">
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<colgroup>
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<col width="100%" />
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</colgroup>
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<tbody valign="top">
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<tr class="row-odd" align="right"><td>וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר **וְהַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ** זָרְחָ֣ה עַל־הַמָּ֑יִם</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>wayyashkimu vabboqer **wehashemesh** zorhah 'al-hammayim</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-odd"><td>and-they-rose-early in-the-morning **and-the-sun** had-risen over_the-waters</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>They awakened early in the morning **and the sun** reflected on the water</td>
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</tr>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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#### Introducing a new narrative or section of text
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Though it is common to begin a book or major portion of a book with the [sequential prefix conjugation](https://git.door43.org/Door43/en_uhg/src/master/content/verb_sequential_imperfect/02.md), it is also possible to put the subject of the first sentence at the beginning of the book.
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* JOB 1:1 – indicating a new narrative
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<table border="1" class="docutils">
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@ -31,18 +105,18 @@ Sometimes a grammatical element (usually the subject) is placed before the verb
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<col width="100%" />
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</colgroup>
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<tbody valign="top">
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<tr class="row-odd" align="right"><td>וּמֵישַׁ֥ע **מֶֽלֶךְ־מוֹאָ֖ב** הָיָ֣ה נֹקֵ֑ד</td>
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<tr class="row-odd" align="right"><td><b>וּמֵישַׁ֥ע מֶֽלֶךְ־מוֹאָ֖ב</b> הָיָ֣ה נֹקֵ֑ד</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>umesha' **melekh-mo'av** hayah noqed</td>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>**umesha' melekh-mo'av** hayah noqed</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-odd"><td>and-Mesha **king-of_Moab** was sheep-breeder</td>
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<tr class="row-odd"><td>**and-Mesha king-of_Moab** was sheep-breeder</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>Now **Mesha king of Moab** bred sheep.</td>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>Now **Mesha king of Moab** bred sheep</td>
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</tr>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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A subject placed before the verb can also indicate a new section of a narrative, or a continuation after there has been a break in the narrative.
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A subject placed before the verb can also indicate a new, smaller section of a narrative, or a continuation after there has been a short break in the narrative.
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* 2SA 19:11 – indicating a new section of a narrative
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<table border="1" class="docutils">
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@ -80,43 +154,7 @@ A subject placed before the verb can also indicate a new section of a narrative,
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#### Indicating a break in the narrative (possibly)
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It is most often the case that a grammatical element that has been placed in front of the verb does NOT indicate a break in the narrative. Rather, it has been placed there for other reasons that do not apply to narrative structuring.
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* GEN 1:5
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<table border="1" class="docutils">
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<colgroup>
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<col width="100%" />
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</colgroup>
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<tbody valign="top">
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<tr class="row-odd" align="right"><td>וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים׀ לָאוֹר֙ י֔וֹם **וְלַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ** קָ֣רָא לָ֑יְלָה</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>wayyiqra 'elohim la'or yom **welahoshekh** qara laylah</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-odd"><td>and-he-called God to-the-light day **and-to-the-darkness** he-called night</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>God called the light "day," **and the darkness** he called "night."</td>
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</tr>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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* 2KI 3:22
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<table border="1" class="docutils">
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<colgroup>
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<col width="100%" />
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</colgroup>
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<tbody valign="top">
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<tr class="row-odd" align="right"><td>וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר **וְהַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ** זָרְחָ֣ה עַל־הַמָּ֑יִם</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>wayyashkimu vabboqer **wehashemesh** zorhah 'al-hammayim</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-odd"><td>and-they-rose-early in-the-morning **and-the-sun** had-risen over_the-waters</td>
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</tr>
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<tr class="row-even"><td>They awakened early in the morning **and the sun** reflected on the water.</td>
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</tr>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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However, sometimes a grammatical element (usually the subject) placed before the verb can indicate a break in the narrative action in order to provide the reader with some extra information about the story being told. Usually, these instances will be clearly discerned from the context.
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Sometimes a grammatical element (usually the subject) placed before the verb can indicate a break in the narrative action to provide the reader with some extra information about the story being told. Usually, these instances will be clearly discerned from the context.
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* 2KI 3:21
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<table border="1" class="docutils">
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@ -153,4 +191,4 @@ However, sometimes a grammatical element (usually the subject) placed before the
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</table>
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-------------------
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*Information in this article is taken from: 'Fronting: Biblical Hebrew', by van der Merwe, in the* Encyclopedia of Hebrew Language and Linguistics, *p.931-935; and* Biblical Grammar, *by Gesenius, section 142.*
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*Information in this article is taken from: 'Fronting: Biblical Hebrew', by van der Merwe, in the* Encyclopedia of Hebrew Language and Linguistics, *p.931-935; and* Biblical Grammar, *by Gesenius, section 142.*
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