:github_url: https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_uhg/src/branch/master/content/preposition.rst .. _preposition: Preposition =========== Summary ------- A preposition introduces a phrase that describes another word/concept within a sentence, usually a :ref:`noun` or a :ref:`verb`. However, like :ref:`adverbs` and :ref:`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 ------- 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 :ref:`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 :ref:`non-finite` verbal complement (:ref:`infinitive construct` verbs and :ref:`active` or :ref:`passive` participles) and the :ref:`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 :ref:`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 uses. Form ---- .. csv-table:: 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 Types ----- 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. .. _preposition-ind-obj: 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. .. csv-table:: 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""" .. csv-table:: 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 .. _preposition-spatial: 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. .. csv-table:: GEN 2:7 –– 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 .. csv-table:: 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. .. _preposition-locative: Locative ~~~~~~~~ Locative prepositions are translated into English with terms such as "to" or "from", etc. This is a common use of the prepositions אֶל and מִן. .. csv-table:: 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 .. csv-table:: 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 .. _preposition-temporal: 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. .. csv-table:: GEN 1:1 –– with the prefixed preposition בְּ בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים insert transliteration **In**-beginning he-created God **In** the beginning God created .. csv-table:: 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 .. _preposition-instrumental: 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. .. csv-table:: GEN 3:19 –– with the prefixed preposition בְּ בְּזֵעַ֤ת אַפֶּ֙יךָ֙ תֹּ֣אכַל לֶ֔חֶם insert transliteration **By**-sweat-of your-face you-will-eat break **By** the sweat of your face you will eat bread .. csv-table:: GEN 4:1 –– with the independent preposition ? וַתֹּ֕אמֶר קָנִ֥יתִי אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־יְהוָֽה insert transliteration And-she-said I-acquired man **with**\_Yahweh She said "I have produced a man **with** Yahweh's help. .. _preposition-correlative: 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. .. csv-table:: GEN 4:17 –– with the prefixed preposition כְּ וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הָעִ֔יר כְּשֵׁ֖ם בְּנ֥וֹ חֲנֽוֹךְ insert transliteration And-he-called name-of the-city **as**-name-of his-son Enoch and named it after his son Enoch. .. csv-table:: GEN 12:4 –– preposition כְּ with relative particle אֲשֶׁר וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אַבְרָ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה insert transliteration And-he-went Abram **as**-what he-had-spoken to-him Yahweh So Abram went **as** Yahweh had told him to do .. _preposition-comparative: 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. .. csv-table:: Gen 29:30 –– with the prefixed preposition מִן וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב גַּֽם־אֶת־רָחֵ֖ל מִלֵּאָ֑ה insert transliteration And-he-loved also\_[dir-obj]\_Rachel **more-than**-Leah but he loved Rachel **more than** Leah .. csv-table:: GEN 3:1 –– with the prefixed preposition מִן וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה insert transliteration 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 .. _preposition-directional: Directional ~~~~~~~~~~~ Directional prepositions are translated into English with terms such as "to", "toward", etc. This is a common use of the preposition לְ. .. csv-table:: ISA 51:6 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ שְׂאוּ֩ לַשָּׁמַ֨יִם עֵֽינֵיכֶ֜ם insert transliteration you-lift **to**-the-heavens your-eyes Lift up your eyes **to** the sky .. csv-table:: GEN 18:16 –– with the independent preposition עַל וַיַּשְׁקִ֖פוּ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י סְדֹ֑ם insert transliteration And-they-looked **on**\_face-of Sodom and looked down **toward** Sodom .. _preposition-causal: 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. .. csv-table:: GEN 4:6 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ וְלָ֖מָּה נָפְל֥וּ פָנֶֽיךָ׃ insert transliteration and-**for**-what he-is-fallen your-face and **why** are you scowling? .. csv-table:: GEN 26:7 –– with the independent preposition עַל פֶּן־יַֽהַרְגֻ֜נִי אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ עַל־רִבְקָ֔ה insert transliteration Lest_they-kill-me men-of the-place **because-of**\_Rebekah The men of this place will kill me **to get** Rebekah .. _preposition-explanatory: 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. .. csv-table:: GEN 1:14 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ וְהָי֤וּ לְאֹתֹת֙ וּלְמ֣וֹעֲדִ֔ים וּלְיָמִ֖ים וְשָׁנִֽים insert transliteration And-they-are **for**-signs and-**for**-seasons and-**for**-days and-years and let them be **as** signs, **for** seasons, **for** days and years .. csv-table:: GEN 12:19 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ וָאֶקַּ֥ח אֹתָ֛הּ לִ֖י לְאִשָּׁ֑ה insert transliteration And-I-took [dir.obj]-her to-me **as**-wife I took her to be my wife .. _preposition-dir-obj: 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. .. csv-table:: 1 CHR 29:22 וַיַּמְלִ֤יכוּ שֵׁנִית֙ לִשְׁלֹמֹ֣ה בֶן־דָּוִ֔יד insert transliteration And-they-crowned second **[dir.obj]**-Solomon son-of_David They made Solomon, David's son, king a second time