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:github_url: https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_uhg/src/branch/master/content/state_construct.rst
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.. _state_construct:
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State Construct
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===============
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Summary
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-------
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Words in the construct state show that they are connected with other
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words, or that they have a suffix. They are often translated with "of"
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to show this connection.
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Article
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-------
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Several construct
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:ref:`noun`
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can be placed together to form a construct chain. The last of those is
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in the :ref:`state_absolute`,
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however.
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Construct nouns do not take :ref:`particle_definite_article`,
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but they are
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:ref:`state_determined`
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if the last word of the chain is definite.
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:ref:`adjective`
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and :ref:`pronoun_demonstrative`
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normally follow the construct chain rather than interrupting it.
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Form
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----
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In the regular forms, the masculine singular form is identical to the
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absolute state. Masculine plural drops the final ם and change the final
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hireq to a segol (i-sound to e-sound).
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Feminine singular often changes from a final ה to a final ת ("-ah" to
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"-ath"). Feminine plural often stays identical to the absolute form.
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Paradigm
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~~~~~~~~
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.. csv-table:: Construct State Examples
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Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
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"Noun, masculine singular construct",סוּס,sus,stallion of
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"Noun, masculine plural construct",סוּסֵי,suse,stallions of
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"Noun, feminine singular construct",סוּסַת,susat,mare of
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"Noun, feminine plural construct",סוּסוֹת,susoth,mares of
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Indefinite
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----------
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If all nouns form a construct chain and both are indefinite you can
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sometimes translate with an indefinite article.
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.. csv-table:: Example: 2SA 17:25
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וַעֲמָשָׂ֣א **בֶן**\ ־אִ֗ישׁ וּשְׁמֹו֙ יִתְרָ֣א
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wa'amasa **ven**-'ish ushemow yithra
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and-Amasa **son-of**\ \_man and-his-name Jether
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Amasa was **a son of** a man named Jether
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.. csv-table:: Example: EXO 15:3
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אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֑ה
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**'ish** milhamah
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**man-of** war
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**a** warr\ **ior**
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In this example "a man of war" is an idiomatic expression, so the
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smooth translation reads "a warrior".
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Definite
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--------
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If the final, absolute, noun in a constuct chain is definite, the whole
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chain is definite.
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.. csv-table:: Example: JOS 4:9
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אֲר֣וֹן הַבְּרִ֑ית
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**'aron** habberith
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**ark-of** the-covenant
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**the ark** of the covenant
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אֲר֣וֹן is indefinite by itself, but it is
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:ref:`state_determined`
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because it is in a construct chain with the definite הַבְּרִ֑ית.
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.. csv-table:: Example: 1SA 20:27
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בֵּ֣ן לְיִשַׁי֮
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**ben** leyishay
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**son-of** Jesse
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**the son** of Jesse
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Because
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:ref:`noun_proper_name`
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are definite, words in construct chains with a name are also definite
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.. _state_construct-translating-a-construct-chain:
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Translating a construct chain
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-----------------------------
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Construct chains are the most common way to express genitive
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relationships in Biblical Hebrew. They are often translated with “of,”
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but context can allow other translations.
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Possessive
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~~~~~~~~~~
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A construct chain can function as showing that the word in the construct
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state is owned by the word (person) that is in the absolute state.
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.. csv-table:: Example: 1KI 9:10
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בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ
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**beth** hammelekh
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**house-of** the-king
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the king\ **'s palace**
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Material
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~~~~~~~~
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When the word in the construct state is an object, the word in the
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absolute state can indicate the material it is made of.
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.. csv-table:: Example: 1KI 10:25
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כְּלֵ֣י כֶסֶף֩
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**kele** khesef
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**vessels-of** silver
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**vessels** of silver
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Attributive
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~~~~~~~~~~~
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Sometimes one of the nouns in a construct chain can take on the function
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of an
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:ref:`adjective-attributive`.
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.. csv-table:: Example: ISA 6:13
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זֶ֥רַע קֹ֖דֶשׁ
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**zera'** qodesh
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**seed-of** holiness
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a holy **seed**
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Here the final noun, that is in the absolute state, functions like an
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adjective.
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"With"
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~~~~~~
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If the word in a construct state is a
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:ref:`participle_active`,
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context can lead to a translatino with "with".
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.. csv-table:: Example: EXO 3:8
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אֶ֛רֶץ \ **זָבַ֥ת** חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ
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'erets **zavath** halav udevash
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land **flowing-with** milk and-honey
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a land **flowing with** milk and honey
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Appositional
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~~~~~~~~~~~~
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If a :ref:`noun_common`
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(in the construct state) is followed by a :ref:`noun_proper_name`
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(in the absolute state), they can mean the same thing.
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.. csv-table:: Example: EXO 7:19
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אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם
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**'erets** mitsrayim
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**land-of** Egypt
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**the land** of Egypt
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Result
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~~~~~~
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The noun in the construct state may be intended for a particular
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purpose, which is indicated by a noun in the absolute state.
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.. csv-table:: Example: PSA 44:22 (PSA 44:23 in Hebrew)
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כְּצֹ֣אן טִבְחָֽה
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**ketson** tivhah
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**like-sheep-of** slaughter
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**as sheep for** the slaughter
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Agent or means
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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The word in the absolute state can indicate who or what is the cause of
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word in the construct state.
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.. csv-table:: Example: ISA 53:4
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מֻכֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים
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**mukkeh** 'elohim
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**struck-of** God
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**struck by** God
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Superlative
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~~~~~~~~~~~
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A construct chain can be used to indicate something is the most extreme
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in a certain category.
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.. csv-table:: Example: SNG 1:1
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שִׁ֥יר הַשִּׁירִ֖ים
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**shir** hashirim
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**Song-of** the-songs
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The greatest **song**
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:ref:`suffix_pronominal`
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------------------------
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If a
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:ref:`noun`,
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a
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:ref:`participle_active`,
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or an :ref:`infinitive_construct`
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has a pronominal suffix, it is *always* in the construct state.
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.. csv-table:: Example: 2SA 17:23
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וַיָּ֜קָם וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אֶל־\ **בֵּיתוֹ֙** אֶל־עִיר֔וֹ
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wayyaqom wayyelekh 'el-**betho** 'el-**'iro**
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And-he-stood-up and-went to\_\ **his-house** to\_\ **his-city**
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He went **home** to **his own city**
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