552 lines
23 KiB
ReStructuredText
552 lines
23 KiB
ReStructuredText
:github_url: https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_uhg/src/branch/master/content/conjunction.rst
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.. _conjunction:
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Conjunction
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===========
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Summary
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-------
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Conjunctions connect words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs. The most common conjunctions in English are
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"and," "or," "but," and "for." Some particles in Biblical Hebrew are closely related to conjunctions.
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Article
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-------
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Biblical Hebrew contains only one primary conjunction (the prefix וְ),
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but a whole family of other words also function as conjunctions. A
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conjunction is a word that shows a relationship between two different
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words, phrases, sentences, or even entire paragraphs. In Biblical Hebrew, :ref:`particles<particle>`
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and conjunctions are often combined with each other to form compound conjunctions.
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Compound conjunctions should not be considered merely as the sum of the
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components, but rather as a single grammatical entity with its own range
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of meanings which may or may not be different than the individual
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component words.
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Generally, there are eight different kinds of conjunctions in Biblical Hebrew: :ref:`conjunctive<conjunction-conjunctive>` ("and");
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:ref:`alternative<conjunction-alternative>` ("or"); :ref:`contrastive<conjunction-contrastive>` ("but");
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:ref:`causal<conjunction-causal>` ("for"); :ref:`conditional<conjunction-conditional>` ("if");
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:ref:`concessive<conjunction-concessive>` ("except"); :ref:`affirmative<conjunction-affirmative>` ("surely");
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:ref:`restrictive<conjunction-restrictive>` ("only"). Many conjunctions in Biblical Hebrew have potential to function in multiple categories.
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Sentences in Biblical Hebrew often begin with the conjunction ו (as either a consonant or a shureq vowel).
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This conjunction וְ ("and") cannot stand alone as an independent word but must be connected to another word as a prefix.
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This can be added to a :ref:`noun<noun>`, a :ref:`verb<verb>`, a :ref:`pronoun<pronoun>`, or a :ref:`particle<particle>`.
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The shewa in וְ can lengthen to a vowel, usually pathah (when paired with the definite article) or qamets
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(when paired with both the article and a ה prefix), but others are also possible.
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.. note:: The conjunction וְ is often left untranslated when it begins a
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sentence or clause, or when it appears within the sequential verbal
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forms (:ref:`verb_sequential_perfect` and :ref:`verb_sequential_imperfect`).
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Also, the conjunction is often added between every item of a list in
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Biblical Hebrew; but in English the וְ is not translated for each item.
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-וְ
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----
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Form
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~~~~
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The conjunction וְ can appear either as a prefix to a word or particle,
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or as part of a sequential verbal form.
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.. csv-table:: Example: ZEC 3:3 –– as a prefix to a separate word
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וְעֹמֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֥י הַמַּלְאָֽךְ
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**we'omed** lifne hammal'akh
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**and-he-was-standing** to-face-of the-angel
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**and he was standing** in front of the angel
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 1:13 –– as part of a sequential verbal form
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וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב **וַֽיְהִי**\ ־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם שְׁלִישִֽׁי׃
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**wayehi**-'erev **wayehi**\ voqer yom shelishi
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"**And-there-was**\ \_evening, **and-there-was**\ \_morning, day
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third."
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"**This was** evening and morning, the third day."
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Function
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~~~~~~~~
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The conjunction וְ can express any of the following connective
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relationships:
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.. _conjunction-conjunctive:
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Conjunctive
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^^^^^^^^^^^
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A conjunctive conjunction simply joins two words/phrases/sentences together and is usually translated as "and" in
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English. This kind of conjunction can be used either comparatively (joining similar ideas) or contrastively (joining dissimilar ideas).
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 2:17
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וּמֵעֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֙עַת֙ ט֣וֹב **וָרָ֔ע** לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ
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ume'ets hadda'ath tov **wara'** lo thokhal mimmennu
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"But-from-tree-of the-knowledge-of good **and-evil** not you-shall-eat
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from-it"
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"But from the tree of the knowledge of good **and evil** you may not
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eat"
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In Biblical Hebrew, when a conjunctive conjunction connects two events that happen at the same time, it has a similar meaning to a conditional conjunction expressing an actual condition. In these cases, the conjunction
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can be translated as “while” or “when” in English.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 1:5
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"וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ לָאוֹר֙ י֔וֹם **וְלַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ** קָ֣רָא
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לָ֑יְלָה"
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wayyiqra 'elohim la'or yom **welahoshekh** qara laylah
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"And-he-called God to-the-light day **and-to-the-darkness** he-called
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night"
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"He named the light ""day,"" **and** he named **the darkness** ""night."""
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 45:14
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"וַיִּפֹּ֛ל עַל־צַוְּארֵ֥י בִנְיָמִֽן־אָחִ֖יו וַיֵּ֑בְךְּ
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**וּבִנְיָמִ֔ן** בָּכָ֖ה עַל־צַוָּארָֽיו׃"
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"wayyippol 'al-tsawwere vinyamin-'ahiw wayyevk **uvinyamin** bakhah
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'al-tsawwarayw"
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"And-he-fell on\_neck-of Benjamin\_his-brother and-he-wept
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**and-Benjamin** wept on\_his-neck."
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"He hugged his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, **while Benjamin**
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wept on his neck."
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.. _conjunction-alternative:
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Alternative
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^^^^^^^^^^^
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An alternative conjunction compares two words/phrases/sentences as alternates and is usually
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translated as “or” in English.
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.. csv-table:: Example: EXO 20:10
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לֹֽ֣א־תַעֲשֶׂ֨ה כָל־מְלָאכָ֜ה אַתָּ֣ה ׀ **וּבִנְךָֽ֣־וּבִתֶּ֗ךָ** עַבְדְּךָ֤ **וַאֲמָֽתְךָ֙ וּבְהֶמְתֶּ֔ךָ וְגֵרְךָ֖** אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃
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"lo-tha'aseh khol-melakhah 'attah **uvinkha-wwvittekha** 'avdekha
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**wa'amathekha uvehemtekha wegerekha** 'asher bish'areykha"
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"Not\_you-shall-do any\_work you **nor-your-son\_nor-your-daughter**
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your-male-servant
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**nor-your-female-servant nor-your-cattle nor-foreigner** who in-your-gates."
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"On it you must not do any work, you,
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**or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the foreigner**
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who is within your gates."
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.. _conjunction-contrastive:
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Contrastive
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^^^^^^^^^^^
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A contrastive conjunction contrasts two words/phrases/sentences as different in some way and is usually translated as “but” in
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English.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 6:8
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וְנֹ֕חַ מָ֥צָא חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃
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**wenoah** matsa hen be'ene yehwah
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**But-Noah** found favor in-eyes-of Yahweh.
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**But Noah** found favor in the eyes of Yahweh.
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.. _conjunction-affirmative:
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Explicative
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^^^^^^^^^^^
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An affirmative conjunction connects two words/phrases/sentences in such a way that the second
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restates the first, sometimes with a nuance of either strengthening or adding to the first.
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This kind of conjunction is often translated “even” (or is sometimes left untranslated) in English.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 4:4
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וְהֶ֨בֶל הֵבִ֥יא גַם־ה֛וּא מִבְּכֹר֥וֹת צֹאנ֖וֹ וּמֵֽחֶלְבֵהֶ֑ן
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wehevel hevi gam-hu mibbekhoroth tsono **umehelvehen**
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"And-Abel brought also\_he from-firstborn-of his-flock **even-from-fat**"
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"As for Abel, he brought some of the firstborn of his flock **and some of the fat**"
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ֹאו
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----
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The word אוֹ is the standard :ref:`alternative<conjunction-alternative>` conjunction in Biblical Hebrew,
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usually translated as "or" in English.
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.. csv-table:: Example: EXO 21:32
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אִם־עֶ֛בֶד יִגַּ֥ח הַשּׁ֖וֹר **א֣וֹ** אָמָ֑ה׃
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'im-'eved yiggah hashor **'o** 'amah
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If\_male-servant gores the-ox **or** female-servant
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If a bull attacks and gores a male **or** female slave
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כִּי
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----
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.. include:: includes/ci_flexible.txt
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The word כִּי is the standard causal conjunction in Biblical Hebrew, and
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is usually translated as "for" in English. However, it is also commonly
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used as a conditional conjunction (usually translated, "if"). Often,
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כִּי is conditional when it occurs at the beginning of a sentence and
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causal when it occurs in the middle (or toward the end) of a sentence,
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but there are notable exceptions to this general rule.
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.. _conjunction-causal:
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Causal
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~~~~~~
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This is the most common use of the word כִּי. However, sometimes it is
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extremely difficult to distinguish between a causal conjunction that
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expresses purpose and one that expresses result. When כִּי functions as
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a causal conjunction, it is often translated into English simply as
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"for", which can express either purpose or result.
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expresses purpose
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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This means to express the purpose, reason, or cause for an action/event.
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In English, this kind of causal conjunction is usually translated as
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"for" or "because".
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 3:14
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"וַיֹּאמֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀ אֶֽל־הַנָּחָשׁ֮ **כִּ֣י** עָשִׂ֣יתָ
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זֹּאת֒ אָר֤וּר אַתָּה֙׃"
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"wayyomer yehowah 'elohim 'el-hannahash **ki** 'asitha zoth 'arur
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'attah"
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"And-he-said Yahweh God to\_the-serpent **because** you-have-done this
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cursed you"
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"Then Yahweh God said to the snake, ""**Because** you did this, I will
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curse you."""
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expresses result
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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This means to express the result or intended outcome of an action/event.
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In English, this kind of causal conjunction is usually translated as
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"for" or “so that”.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 20:10
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מָ֣ה רָאִ֔יתָ **כִּ֥י** עָשִׂ֖יתָ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃
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mah ra'itha **ki** 'asitha 'eth-haddavar hazzeh
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What did-you-see **so-that** you-did [dir.obj]\_the-thing the-this?
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What prompted you **to** do this thing?
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Conditional
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~~~~~~~~~~~
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This is also a very common use of the word כִּי in Biblical Hebrew. This
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conjunction can describe either a hypothetical condition or an actual
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condition, as determined by the context.
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expresses a hypothetical condition
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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A hypothetical condition expresses an imaginary action or event that has
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not actually happened in reality. This kind of conditional conjunction
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is usually translated as "if" in English. Hypothetical conditions have
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potential to convey many different nuances of possibility and/or
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desirability.
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.. csv-table:: Example: 2KI 4:29
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"כִּֽי־תִמְצָ֥א אִישׁ֙ לֹ֣א תְבָרְכֶ֔נּוּ **וְכִֽי**\ ־יְבָרֶכְךָ֥
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אִ֖ישׁ לֹ֣א תַעֲנֶנּ֑וּ"
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"**ki**-thimtsa 'ish lo thevorkhennu **wekhi**-yevarekhkha 'ish lo
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tha'anennu"
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"**If**\ \_you-meet man not\_greet-him **and-if**\ \_greets-you man
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not answer-him."
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"**If** you meet any man, do not greet him, and **if** anyone greets
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you, do not answer him."
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expresses an actual condition
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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An actual condition expresses an action or event that has actually
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happened in reality, and is usually translated as "when" or "while" in
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English. Usually, this kind of condition indicates something that is
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happening concurrently with the main action/event being described, or
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something that has happened in the past in certain circumstances.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 27:1
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וַיְהִי֙ **כִּֽי**\ ־זָקֵ֣ן יִצְחָ֔ק וַתִּכְהֶ֥יןָ עֵינָ֖יו מֵרְאֹ֑ת
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wayhiy **ki**-zaqen yitshaq wattikhheyna 'enayw mere'oth
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"And-it-happened **when**\ \_old Isaac and-were-dim his-eyes
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from-seeing"
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**When** Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see
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Other uses
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~~~~~~~~~~
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The word כִּי can also express other conjunctive meanings, often as an
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contrastive following a negated statement. If in doubt, it is
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recommended to always consult a dictionary or lexicon for the exact
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meaning of the word in any specific instance.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 17:15
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"שָׂרַ֣י אִשְׁתְּךָ֔ לֹא־תִקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמָ֖הּ שָׂרָ֑י **כִּ֥י**
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שָׂרָ֖ה שְׁמָֽהּ׃"
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saray 'ishtekha lo-thiqra 'eth-shemah saray **ki** sarah shemah
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"Sarai your-wife not\_call [dir.obj]\_her-name Sarai **but** Sarah
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her-name."
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"As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai any more. **Instead**,
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her name will be Sarah."
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אִם
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----
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.. note:: Like the word כִּי, the word אִם in Biblical Hebrew is also
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extremely flexible in its meaning. If in doubt, it is recommended to
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always consult a dictionary or lexicon for the exact meaning of the word
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in any specific instance.
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.. _conjunction-conditional:
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Conditional
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~~~~~~~~~~~
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The word אִם is the standard conditional conjunction in Biblical Hebrew.
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It is most often used to describe a hypothetical condition and
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translated as "if" in English. However, this term can can be nuanced and
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translated in a variety of specific ways, and it can be joined with
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various other particles to form different compound conjunctions.
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Therefore, this word must be translated always with senstivity to the
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context to express the correct nuance.
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expresses a hypothetical condition
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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A hypothetical condition expresses an imaginary action or event that has
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not actually happened in reality. This kind of conditional conjunction
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is usually translated as "if" in English. Hypothetical conditions have
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potential to convey many different nuances of possibility and/or
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desirability.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 18:26
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אִם־אֶמְצָ֥א בִסְדֹ֛ם חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר
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**'im**-'emtsa visdom hamishim tsaddiqim bethokh ha'ir
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**If**\ \_I-find in-Sodom fifty righteous in-place the-city
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**If** I find fifty people in Sodom who have done nothing wrong
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The following example is a hypothetical condition as an affirmation of
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an actual condition.
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.. csv-table:: Example: JER 15:1
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אִם־יַעֲמֹ֨ד מֹשֶׁ֤ה וּשְׁמוּאֵל֙ לְפָנַ֔י
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**'im**-ya'amod mosheh ushemu'el lefanay
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**Though**\ \_stood Moses and-Samuel before-me
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**Even if** Moses or Samuel were standing in front of me
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expresses an actual condition
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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An actual condition expresses an action or event that has actually
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happened in reality, and is usually translated as "when" or "while" in
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English. Usually, this kind of condition indicates something that is
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happening concurrently with the main action/event being described, or
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something that has happened in the past in certain circumstances.
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.. csv-table:: Example: NUM 21:9
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"וְהָיָ֗ה **אִם**\ ־נָשַׁ֤ךְ הַנָּחָשׁ֙ אֶת־אִ֔ישׁ וְהִבִּ֛יט
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אֶל־נְחַ֥שׁ הַנְּחֹ֖שֶׁת וָחָֽי׃"
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"wehayah **'im**-nashakh hannahash 'eth-'ish wehibbit 'el-nehash
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hannehosheth wahay"
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"And-it-happened **when**\ \_he-had-bitten the-serpent [dir.obj]\_man
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and-he-looked to\_serpent-of the-bronze and-he-lived"
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"**When** a snake bit any person, if he looked at the bronze snake, he
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survived."
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 31:8
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"אִם־כֹּ֣ה יֹאמַ֗ר נְקֻדִּים֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה שְׂכָרֶ֔ךָ וְיָלְד֥וּ
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כָל־הַצֹּ֖אן נְקֻדִּ֑ים"
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"**'im**-koh yomar nequddim yihyeh sekharekha weyoldu khol-hatson
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nequddim"
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"**When**\ \_thus he-said speckled-ones it-will-be your-wages
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and-they-bore all\_the-flock speckled-ones"
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"**If** he said, 'The speckled animals will be your wages,' then all
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the flock bore speckled young."
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:ref:`Alternative<conjunction-alternative>`
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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This use of the conjunction אִם is often found in a question and is
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usually translated as "or" in English.
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.. csv-table:: Example: JOS 5:13
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הֲלָ֥נוּ אַתָּ֖ה **אִם**\ ־לְצָרֵֽינוּ׃
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halanu 'attah **'im**-letsarenu
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Are-for-us you **or**\ \_for-our-enemies?
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Are you for us **or** for our enemies?
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וְעַתָּה
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----
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The word עַתָּה ("now") in Biblical Hebrew often functions as a temporal adverb
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in a sentence. However, when עַתָּה appears at the beginning of a
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sentence or clause, it usually functions not as an adverb but as a
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conjunction, either standing alone or as a compound conjunction (when
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paired with the prefix וְ or with particles such as גַּם or כִּי). In
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either case, the term functions as a type of :ref:`causal<conjunction-causal>` conjunction, indicating that
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what follows is based upon what has come before. This conjunction must
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be translated always with great sensitivity to the context to express
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the correct nuance; in English, this conjunction can be translated as
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"now", "so", "so now", "and now", "therefore", and others. A dictionary
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or lexicon will indicate the specific nuance of this term in individual
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contexts.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 31:13 –– as a stand-alone conjunction
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עַתָּ֗ה ק֥וּם צֵא֙ מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את
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**'attah** qum tse' min-ha'arets hazzoth
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**Now** rise-up go-out from\_the-land the-this
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**Now** rise up and leave this land
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.. csv-table:: Example: 1KI 8:26 –– with prefix וְ
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"וְעַתָּ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יֵאָ֤מֶן נָא֙ דְּבָרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר
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דִּבַּ֔רְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ֖ דָּוִ֥ד אָבִֽי"
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"**we'attah** 'elohe yisra'el ye'amen na' devareykha 'asher dibbarta
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le'avdekha dawid 'avi"
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"**And-now** God-of Israel let-it-be-true [exh.prtc] your-words that
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you-spoke to-your-servant David my-father"
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"**Now then**, God of Israel, I pray that the promise you made to your
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servant David my father, will come true."
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 44:10 –– in compound conjunction with גַּם
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וַיֹּ֕אמֶר **גַּם־עַתָּ֥ה** כְדִבְרֵיכֶ֖ם כֶּן־ה֑וּא
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wayyomer **gam-'attah** khedivrekhem ken-hu
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And-he-said **also\_now** as-your-words thus\_it
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**Now also** let it be according to your words.
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.. csv-table:: Example: 1SA 13:13 –– in compound conjunction with כִּי
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כִּ֣י עַתָּ֗ה הֵכִ֨ין יְהוָ֧ה אֶת־מַֽמְלַכְתְּךָ֛
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**ki 'attah** hekhin yehwah 'eth-mamelakhtekha
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**For now** he-established Yahweh [dir.obj]\_your-reign
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**For then** Yahweh would have established your rule
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לֽוּ
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----
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This term is a :ref:`conditional<conjunction-conditional>` conjunction, similar to אִם but used only to
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express hypothetical conditions. The word can also appear in the
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alternate forms לוּא and לֻא. This conjunction either: 1) expresses a
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condition that cannot (or probably will not) happen, usually translated
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"if" in English; or 2) conveys a strong desire for something to happen
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that cannot (or probably will not) be realized, usually translated "if
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only" in English.
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.. csv-table:: Example: JDG 13:23
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לוּ֩ חָפֵ֨ץ יְהוָ֤ה לַהֲמִיתֵ֙נוּ֙
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**lu** hafets yehwah lahamithenu
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**If** he-wanted Yahweh to-kill-us
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**If** Yahweh intended to kill us
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.. csv-table:: Example: NUM 14:2
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לוּ֩־מַ֙תְנוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם
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**lu**-mathnu be'erets mitsrayim
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**If-only** we-had-died in-the-land-of Egypt
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**We wish** we had died in the land of Egypt
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פֶּן
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----
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This term is also a :ref:`conditional<conjunction-conditional>` conjunction, and it expresses a certain
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kind of hypothetical condition. The word can be used in two different
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ways: either 1) in warnings to express a potential condition that will
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take place if the warning is not heeded, usually translated "lest" in
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English; or 2) to express the reason for a certain action to prevent a
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possible condition from taking place, usually translated as "so
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that...not" (or similar phrasing) in English.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 3:3
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וְלֹ֥א תִגְּע֖וּ בּ֑וֹ **פֶּן**\ ־תְּמֻתֽוּן׃
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welo thigge'u bo **pen**-temuthun
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and-not you-will-touch in-it **so-that-not**\ \_you-will-die
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"nor may you touch it, **or** you will die."
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 31:24
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"הִשָּׁ֧מֶר לְךָ֛ **פֶּן**\ ־תְּדַבֵּ֥ר עִֽם־יַעֲקֹ֖ב מִטּ֥וֹב
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עַד־רָֽע"
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hishamer lekha **pen**-tedabber 'im-ya'aqov mittov 'ad-ra'
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"Be-guarded to-you **so-that-not**\ \_you-speak with\_Jacob from-good
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until\_bad."
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Be careful **that** you speak to Jacob **neither** good **nor** bad.
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.. _conjunction-restrictive:
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רַק
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----
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The word רַק is the standard restrictive conjunction in Biblical Hebrew. A restrictive conjunction sets apart a clause or phrase
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as unique within its context. Sometimes this restrictive function emphasizes a particular item as the most important or most
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prominent; in these cases, the conjunction is similar in meaning to an :ref:`affirmative<conjunction-affirmative>` conjunction.
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At other times, however, this restrictive function introduces a particular limitation to something previously expressed; in
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these cases, this conjunction is similar in meaning to a :ref:`concessive<conjunction-concessive>` conjunction.
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.. _conjunction-compound:
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Compound conjunctions
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---------------------
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.. note:: Sometimes multiple conjunctions or particles appear
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together but do NOT form a compound conjunction; in such cases, each
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word retains its individual range of meanings. These instances must be
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determined from the context. If in doubt, consult a dictionary or
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lexicon for the exact meaning of any specific occurrence.
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.. _conjunction-concessive:
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כִּי אִם
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~~~~~~~~
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Sometimes the words כִּי and אִם are paired together to form a compound conjunction that functions most often as a strong contrastive
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or a strong concessive ("except"). In English, it is usually translated as "but",
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"but if", or "except". It is recommended to always consult a dictionary
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or lexicon for the exact meaning of any specific occurrence of this
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compound conjunction.
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.. csv-table:: Example: 2KI 23:9
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כִּ֛י אִם־אָכְל֥וּ מַצֹּ֖ות בְּתֹ֥וךְ אֲחֵיהֶֽם׃
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**ki 'im**-'okhlu matsowth bethowkh 'ahehem
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**but if**\ \_they-ate unleavened-bread in-midst-of their-brothers.
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**but** they ate unleavened bread among their brothers.
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אַף כִּי
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~~~~~~~~
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Sometimes the words אַף and כִּי are paired together to form a compound
|
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conjunction that functions as a strong :ref:`affirmative<conjunction-affirmative>`. This compound
|
||
conjunction can appear with or without the prefix conjunction וְ
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("and").
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 3:1
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אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים
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**'af ki**-'amar 'elohim
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**indeed** he-has-said God
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Has God **really** said
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.. csv-table:: Example: EZK 23:40
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וְאַ֗ף כִּ֤י־אַחֲרֵ֥י מוֹתִֽי׃
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**we'af ki**-'ahare mothi
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**and-more** after my-death
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**how much more** after my death?
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