298 lines
11 KiB
ReStructuredText
298 lines
11 KiB
ReStructuredText
:github_url: https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_uhg/src/branch/master/content/preposition.rst
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.. _preposition:
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Preposition
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===========
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Summary
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-------
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A preposition introduces a phrase that describes another word/concept within a sentence, usually a :ref:`noun<noun>` or a :ref:`verb<verb>`.
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However, like :ref:`adverbs<adverb>` and :ref:`particles<particle>`, sometimes a prepositional phrase can describe the sentence as a whole.
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In Biblical Hebrew, prepositions can also be used with an infinitive construct verb to show its relationship to the main verb of a sentence.
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Article
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-------
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Biblical Hebrew has four main prepositions: the prefix בְּ (in, at, by);
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the prefix לְ (to, for); the prefix כְּ (as, like); and the prefix מִ
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(which is a shortened form of the independent preposition מִן, meaning
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"from"). However, there is also a family of other prepositions in
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Biblical Hebrew. It is common in Biblical Hebrew for prepositions to be
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combined together or with a noun to form new words that have their own
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range of meanings (similar to :ref:`compound conjunctions<conjunction-compound>`)
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that may or may not overlap with the meaning of the individual component terms.
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In Biblical Hebrew, prepositions also function to describe the relationship between a
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:ref:`non-finite<verb-non-finite>` verbal complement (:ref:`infinitive construct<infinitive_construct>` verbs
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and :ref:`active<participle_active>` or :ref:`passive<participle_passive>` participles) and the :ref:`finite<verb-finite>`
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main verb of a sentence. In some of these instances, the preposition introduces a dependent verbal phrase
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and thus changes its typical meaning. These specialized uses of prepositions are listed in the article
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on :ref:`infinitive construct<infinitive_construct>` verbs.
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.. note:: Of all the different kinds of words, prepositions are perhaps the
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most flexible in their meaning and are often translated in a variety of
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ways, or sometimes even left untranslated. For this reason, prepositions
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must always be translated with great sensitivity to the context of each
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use. A dictionary or lexicon will describe the various possible meanings
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of each preposition, but generally will not include a complete list of
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individual uses.
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Form
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----
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.. csv-table:: Prefix Preposition (with and without the definite article)
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Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
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normal noun,נָהָר,nahar,river
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noun + preposition only,בְּנָהָר,benahar,in a river
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noun + definite article only,הַנָּהָר,hannahar,the river
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noun + preposition + definite article,בַּנָּהָר,bannahar,in the river
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Types
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-----
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In Biblical Hebrew, there are 11 general types of prepositions: indirect object; spatial; locative; temporal; instrumental;
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correlative; comparative; directional; causal; explanatory; and direct object.
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However, this are also other types of prepositions in Biblical Hebrew. The specific meanings of individual prepositions can
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be found in a dictionary or lexicon.
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.. _preposition-ind-obj:
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Indirect Object
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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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.
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When used in this way, the preposition is usually transated into English with "to" or "for", or it can be left untranslated.
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.. csv-table:: GEN 1:5 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ
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וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים׀ **לָ** אֹור֙ יֹ֔ום
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wayyiqra 'elohim **la'owr** yowm
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And-he-called **to**-the-light day
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"God called the light ""day"""
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.. csv-table:: GEN 3:2 –– with the independent preposition אֶל
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וַתֹּ֥אמֶר הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־הַנָּחָ֑שׁ
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insert transliteration
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And-she-said the-woman **to** _the-serpent
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The woman said **to** the serpent
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.. _preposition-spatial:
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Spatial
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~~~~~~~
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Spatial prepositions are translated into English with terms such as "in", "on", "under", "with", "beside", etc.
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This is a common use of the preposition בְּ.
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.. csv-table:: GEN 2:7 –– with the prefixed preposition בְּ
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אֶת־קֹלְךָ֥ שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בַּגָּ֑ן
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insert transliteration
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[dir-obj]\_your-sound I-heard **in**-the-garden
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I heard you **in** the garden
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.. csv-table:: GEN 1:2 –– with the independent preposition עַל
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וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת **עַל**\ ־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם
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weruah 'elohim merahefeth **'al**-pene hammayim
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and-spirit-of God hovering **over**\ \_face-of the-waters
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The Spirit of God was moving **above** the surface of the waters.
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.. _preposition-locative:
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Locative
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~~~~~~~~
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Locative prepositions are translated into English with terms such as "to" or "from", etc.
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This is a common use of the prepositions אֶל and מִן.
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.. csv-table:: GEN 8:9 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ
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וַתָּ֤שָׁב אֵלָיו֙ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֔ה
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insert transliteration
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And-she-returned **to** him **to** the ark
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and she returned **to** him **in** the ark
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.. csv-table:: GEN 3:23 –– with the independent preposition מִן
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וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֛הוּ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים מִגַּן־עֵ֑דֶן
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insert transliteration
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And-he-sent-him-away Yahweh God **from**-the-garden-of_Eden
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Therefore Yahweh God sent him out **from** the garden of Eden
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.. _preposition-temporal:
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Temporal
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~~~~~~~~
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Temporal prepositions are translated into English with terms such as "in", "at", "until", "before", "after", etc.
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This is a common use of the preposition בְּ.
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.. csv-table:: GEN 1:1 –– with the prefixed preposition בְּ
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בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים
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insert transliteration
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**In**-beginning he-created God
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**In** the beginning God created
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.. csv-table:: GEN 3:19 –– with the independent preposition עַד
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עַ֤ד שֽׁוּבְךָ֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה
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insert transliteration
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**until** you-return to_the-ground
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**until** you return to the ground
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.. _preposition-instrumental:
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Instrumental
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~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Instrumental prepositions are translated into English with terms such as "by", "with", "by means of", etc.
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This is a common use of the preposition בְּ.
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.. csv-table:: GEN 3:19 –– with the prefixed preposition בְּ
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בְּזֵעַ֤ת אַפֶּ֙יךָ֙ תֹּ֣אכַל לֶ֔חֶם
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insert transliteration
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**By**-sweat-of your-face you-will-eat break
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**By** the sweat of your face you will eat bread
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.. csv-table:: GEN 4:1 –– with the independent preposition ?
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וַתֹּ֕אמֶר קָנִ֥יתִי אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־יְהוָֽה
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insert transliteration
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And-she-said I-acquired man **with**\_Yahweh
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She said "I have produced a man **with** Yahweh's help.
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.. _preposition-correlative:
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Correlative
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~~~~~~~~~~~
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Correlative prepositions are translated into English with terms such as "like", "as", "according to", etc.
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This is the primary use of the preposition כְּ.
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.. csv-table:: GEN 4:17 –– with the prefixed preposition כְּ
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וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הָעִ֔יר כְּשֵׁ֖ם בְּנ֥וֹ חֲנֽוֹךְ
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insert transliteration
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And-he-called name-of the-city **as**-name-of his-son Enoch
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and named it after his son Enoch.
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.. csv-table:: GEN 12:4 –– preposition כְּ with relative particle אֲשֶׁר
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וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אַבְרָ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה
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insert transliteration
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And-he-went Abram **as**-what he-had-spoken to-him Yahweh
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So Abram went **as** Yahweh had told him to do
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.. _preposition-comparative:
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Comparative
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~~~~~~~~~~~
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Comparative prepositions are translated into English with terms such as "more than" or "greater than", etc.
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This is a common use of the preposition מִן.
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.. csv-table:: Gen 29:30 –– with the prefixed preposition מִן
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וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב גַּֽם־אֶת־רָחֵ֖ל מִלֵּאָ֑ה
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insert transliteration
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And-he-loved also\_[dir-obj]\_Rachel **more-than**-Leah
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but he loved Rachel **more than** Leah
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.. csv-table:: GEN 3:1 –– with the prefixed preposition מִן
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וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה
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insert transliteration
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And-serpent he-was shrewd **from**-all-of animals-of the-field
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Now the serpent was **more** shrewd **than** any other beast of the field
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.. _preposition-directional:
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Directional
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~~~~~~~~~~~
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Directional prepositions are translated into English with terms such as "to", "toward", etc.
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This is a common use of the preposition לְ.
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.. csv-table:: ISA 51:6 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ
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שְׂאוּ֩ לַשָּׁמַ֨יִם עֵֽינֵיכֶ֜ם
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insert transliteration
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you-lift **to**-the-heavens your-eyes
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Lift up your eyes **to** the sky
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.. csv-table:: GEN 18:16 –– with the independent preposition עַל
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וַיַּשְׁקִ֖פוּ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י סְדֹ֑ם
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insert transliteration
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And-they-looked **on**\_face-of Sodom
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and looked down **toward** Sodom
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.. _preposition-causal:
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Causal
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~~~~~~
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Causal prepositions are translated into English with terms such as "for" or "because", etc.
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This is a secondary use of the prepositions לְ and עַל.
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.. csv-table:: GEN 4:6 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ
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וְלָ֖מָּה נָפְל֥וּ פָנֶֽיךָ׃
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insert transliteration
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and-**for**-what he-is-fallen your-face
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and **why** are you scowling?
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.. csv-table:: GEN 26:7 –– with the independent preposition עַל
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פֶּן־יַֽהַרְגֻ֜נִי אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ עַל־רִבְקָ֔ה
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insert transliteration
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Lest_they-kill-me men-of the-place **because-of**\_Rebekah
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The men of this place will kill me **to get** Rebekah
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.. _preposition-explanatory:
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Explanatory
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~~~~~~~~~~~
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Explanatory prepositions are often translated into English with terms such as "as", "for", "to", or it can be left untranslated.
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This is a common use of the preposition לְ.
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.. csv-table:: GEN 1:14 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ
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וְהָי֤וּ לְאֹתֹת֙ וּלְמ֣וֹעֲדִ֔ים וּלְיָמִ֖ים וְשָׁנִֽים
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insert transliteration
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And-they-are **for**-signs and-**for**-seasons and-**for**-days and-years
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and let them be **as** signs, **for** seasons, **for** days and years
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.. csv-table:: GEN 12:19 –– with the prefixed preposition לְ
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וָאֶקַּ֥ח אֹתָ֛הּ לִ֖י לְאִשָּׁ֑ה
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insert transliteration
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And-I-took [dir.obj]-her to-me **as**-wife
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I took her to be my wife
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.. _preposition-dir-obj:
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Direct Object
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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A rare use of the preposition לְ is to indicate the direct object of the verb. When used in this way,
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the preposition is almost always left untranslated in English.
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.. csv-table:: 1 CHR 29:22
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וַיַּמְלִ֤יכוּ שֵׁנִית֙ לִשְׁלֹמֹ֣ה בֶן־דָּוִ֔יד
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insert transliteration
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And-they-crowned second **[dir.obj]**-Solomon son-of_David
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They made Solomon, David's son, king a second time
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