:github_url: https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_uhg/src/branch/master/content/state_construct.rst

.. _state_construct:

State Construct
===============

Summary
-------

Words in the construct state show that they are connected with other
words, or that they have a suffix. They are often translated with "of"
to show this connection.

Article
-------

Several construct
:ref:`noun`
can be placed together to form a construct chain. The last of those is
in the :ref:`state_absolute`,
however.

Construct nouns do not take :ref:`particle_definite_article`,
but they are
:ref:`state_determined`
if the last word of the chain is definite.

:ref:`adjective`
and :ref:`pronoun_demonstrative`
normally follow the construct chain rather than interrupting it.

Form
----

In the regular forms, the masculine singular form is identical to the
absolute state. Masculine plural drops the final ם and change the final
hireq to a segol (i-sound to e-sound).

Feminine singular often changes from a final ה to a final ת ("-ah" to
"-ath"). Feminine plural often stays identical to the absolute form.

Paradigm
~~~~~~~~

.. csv-table:: Construct State Examples

  Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
  "Noun, masculine singular construct",סוּס,sus,stallion of
  "Noun, masculine plural construct",סוּסֵי,suse,stallions of
  "Noun, feminine singular construct",סוּסַת,susat,mare of
  "Noun, feminine plural construct",סוּסוֹת,susoth,mares of

Indefinite
----------

If all nouns form a construct chain and both are indefinite you can
sometimes translate with an indefinite article.

.. csv-table:: Example: 2SA 17:25

  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

.. csv-table:: Example: EXO 15:3

  אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֑ה
  **'ish** milhamah
  **man-of** war
  **a** warr\ **ior**

   In this example "a man of war" is an idiomatic expression, so the
   smooth translation reads "a warrior".

Definite
--------

If the final, absolute, noun in a constuct chain is definite, the whole
chain is definite.

.. csv-table:: Example: JOS 4:9

  אֲר֣וֹן הַבְּרִ֑ית
  **'aron** habberith
  **ark-of** the-covenant
  **the ark** of the covenant

אֲר֣וֹן is indefinite by itself, but it is
:ref:`state_determined`
because it is in a construct chain with the definite הַבְּרִ֑ית.

.. csv-table:: Example: 1SA 20:27

  בֵּ֣ן לְיִשַׁי֮
  **ben** leyishay
  **son-of** Jesse
  **the son** of Jesse

Because
:ref:`noun_proper_name`
are definite, words in construct chains with a name are also definite

.. _state_construct-translating-a-construct-chain:

Translating a construct chain
-----------------------------

Construct chains are the most common way to express genitive
relationships in Biblical Hebrew. They are often translated with “of,”
but context can allow other translations.

Possessive
~~~~~~~~~~

A construct chain can function as showing that the word in the construct
state is owned by the word (person) that is in the absolute state.

.. csv-table:: Example: 1KI 9:10

  בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ
  **beth** hammelekh
  **house-of** the-king
  the king\ **'s palace**

Material
~~~~~~~~

When the word in the construct state is an object, the word in the
absolute state can indicate the material it is made of.

.. csv-table:: Example: 1KI 10:25

  כְּלֵ֣י כֶסֶף֩
  **kele** khesef
  **vessels-of** silver
  **vessels** of silver

Attributive
~~~~~~~~~~~

Sometimes one of the nouns in a construct chain can take on the function
of an
:ref:`adjective-attributive`.

.. csv-table:: Example: ISA 6:13

  זֶ֥רַע קֹ֖דֶשׁ
  **zera'** qodesh
  **seed-of** holiness
  a holy **seed**

Here the final noun, that is in the absolute state, functions like an
adjective.

"With"
~~~~~~

If the word in a construct state is a
:ref:`participle_active`,
context can lead to a translatino with "with".

.. csv-table:: Example: EXO 3:8

  אֶ֛רֶץ \ **זָבַ֥ת** חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ
  'erets **zavath** halav udevash
  land **flowing-with** milk and-honey
  a land **flowing with** milk and honey

Appositional
~~~~~~~~~~~~

If a :ref:`noun_common`
(in the construct state) is followed by a :ref:`noun_proper_name`
(in the absolute state), they can mean the same thing.

.. csv-table:: Example: EXO 7:19

  אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם
  **'erets** mitsrayim
  **land-of** Egypt
  **the land** of Egypt

Result
~~~~~~

The noun in the construct state may be intended for a particular
purpose, which is indicated by a noun in the absolute state.

.. csv-table:: Example: PSA 44:22 (PSA 44:23 in Hebrew)

  כְּצֹ֣אן טִבְחָֽה
  **ketson** tivhah
  **like-sheep-of** slaughter
  **as sheep for** the slaughter

Agent or means
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The word in the absolute state can indicate who or what is the cause of
word in the construct state.

.. csv-table:: Example: ISA 53:4

  מֻכֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים
  **mukkeh** 'elohim
  **struck-of** God
  **struck by** God

Superlative
~~~~~~~~~~~

A construct chain can be used to indicate something is the most extreme
in a certain category.

.. csv-table:: Example: SNG 1:1

  שִׁ֥יר הַשִּׁירִ֖ים
  **shir** hashirim
  **Song-of** the-songs
  The greatest **song**

:ref:`suffix_pronominal`
------------------------

If a
:ref:`noun`,
a
:ref:`participle_active`,
or an :ref:`infinitive_construct`
has a pronominal suffix, it is *always* in the construct state.

.. csv-table:: Example: 2SA 17:23

  וַיָּ֜קָם וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אֶל־\ **בֵּיתוֹ֙** אֶל־עִיר֔וֹ
  wayyaqom wayyelekh 'el-**betho** 'el-**'iro**
  And-he-stood-up and-went to\_\ **his-house** to\_\ **his-city**
  He went **home** to **his own city**