How do I understand significance of the word 'you' being used 16 times in Ezekiel 36:6-12?
Hello, I am new to forums. I've been using Accordance since 2019, though perhaps not as extensively as others. I'm studying Ezekiel 36 and exploring word searches. I understand Strong's Key numbers, but in Ezekiel 36:6-12, the word ‘you’ isn't linked to any Strong's number. ‘You’ appears 16 times in these verses, indicating it has significance, yet this word isn't in Hebrew; so I'm stuck.
Could you guide me on how to perform a word study for a term that appears solely in the English translation, but whose repeated use implies a strong sense of compassion conveyed by God's message to Ezekiel?
Thanks, LuAnn
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Welcome LuAnn! Thanks for joining and posting!
I don't know how much you know about Hebrew, so please forgive me if I am repeating what you already know. In Hebrew, the spelling of the verb changes depending on the person (first person, second person, third person), gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural). In English this only happens with 3rd person singular (he/she/it goes in contrast to I/we/you/they go). So in English we need separate pronouns to tell us who (in a general sense) the subject of the verb is.
Hebrew does not need separate pronouns for this purposes, and generally does not use them. So, for example, in Ezekiel 36:11, you have the verb ידַעְתֶּ֖ם (yḏaʿtem)..the תֶּ֖ם/tem ending tells you that it is 2nd person masculine plural, no pronoun needed. But in English we have to use a pronoun, thus "you [shall] know".
So, some of the instances of “you” that you are seeing are there in English, but not in Hebrew…or at least not as separate pronouns in Hebrew.
Another difference between English and Hebrew is that in Hebrew object pronouns (whether direct or indirect) tend to be suffixes to prepositions, not separate words, and those suffixes are spelled entirely differently than the subject pronouns. Similarly, Hebrew doesn't use possessive pronouns per se, but attaches pronominal (pronoun) suffixes to nouns in what is called the “construct” state.
So even in Hebrew, trying so search for all instances of “you” (as in all the Hebrew equivalents of the English word you) is complicated.
Add to this that the various Strongs numbered texts vary in how many (if any) of these pronouns they bother to key. So, for example in Eek 36:8, where is says at the beginning “But you…” that you is the Hebrew 2 person masculine plural pronoun. (אַתֶּ֞ם ʾattem). Some of the Strong's and GK numbered texts I have in Accordance will tell you that (for instance, NRSVueS, NIV-GK, NIV-GKE, NET, HCSBS) but others don't (NRSVS, KJVS, NKJVS, NAS95S) and the ASVS actually incorrectly links “ye” to the word for mountain, not the word for “you.”
And none of the Strong's or GK numbered texts I have key or tag the suffix forms of pronouns. So, for example, in Ezek 36:9, twice we have the “word” אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם (ʾᵃlêḵem) which is a preposition meaning to or toward plus the 2nd masculine plural suffix כֶ֑ם (kem). But none of my keyed texts tell you that because neither the preposition nor the suffix are keyed.
All that is to say that Strongs and GK texts are woefully inadequate for exploring the use of pronouns [and, prepositions].
Edited to correct/clarify my statements about pronoun/pronominal suffixes.
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Using the Hebrew text and Accordance, I can provide you some specifics about the use of the 2nd person pronoun in Ezekiel 36:1-12
The separate 2nd person plural pronoun is used only once in this passage, in verse 8 (discussed above)
The 2nd person plural pronominal suffix is used 12 times, connected either to prepositions (as direct or indirect object) or nouns (as we would use a possessive pronoun)
There is one use of the 2nd person singular pronominal suffix, in verse 12, “they will possess you” (presumably because the “you” in this case is Israel).
There are 6 2nd person masculine singular verbs.
There are 3 2nd person singular verbs ("say" in verse 6, directed at the prophet, “be” and “be/do again” in v.12)
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Note that I made a longer post, explaining about Hebrew pronouns and how they are keyed (or not keyed) in Strongs and GKE, but it is still “pending” moderation approval.
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As shown above the Hebrew text will show the pronouns and second person verbs, but the English text will not. The NIV-11 GKE (and the NIV84) will show most of them in the instant details. You might also look at the interlinear feature to show some of these.
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Hello, Lorinda and Dick,
Lorinda, your explanation was amazing! I appreciate the details you shared. Unfortunately, I do not know Hebrew or Greek. I am soon to be 72 years old and have a HUGE hunger to know more about God, my creator. I am rather new to doing word studies with Bible software. I have HMT Demo, BHS Hebrew (ETCBC), GNT-Textus Receipts w/strong's, and Greek NT tagged. It's funny, I have surpassed the learning desires of all my friends :-).
I am sure the software noted above is just the very basics in software options for these two languages. If you have a suggestion for another Accordance software that would help me in my journey, I would be happy to learn about it.
My current study with my small group is Genesis. I am using John Walton's book “New Explorations in the Lost World of Genesis”, Robert Alter's single-author literary translation (for a linguistic perspective), and Tim Mackie's online videos and classes on Genesis (if you don't know him, he is co-owner of BibleProject.com, and he was a pastor in Oregon so he has extensive knowledge to share). But to learn a foreign language, I have not found anything outside of college.
Right away, I am amazed at what I am learning from these gentlemen. As I look at the first two verses of Genesis, I now see it with new eyes and perspective that I did not see when just reading the text on my own. It is breathtaking to think how holy and mighty God is to have created absolutely everything! Learning that “Earth” (eretz) doesn't mean “globe” in ancient Near Eastern culture and language (as we understand it in the 21st century) is fascinating to me.
I'm on a mission to learn more. With the right tools, I know I will make progress.
Kind regards, LuAnn
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LuAnn,
I am so glad you are excited about Bible study and still learning at 72. (My folks are in their late 80s and are still loving to learn new things, too. Currently they are working through a Great Courses series on the Bible and are in the book of Chronicles.)
Here are some suggested resources from Accordance that may help your study/exploration:
NIV11-GKE. GKE means “Goodrick-Kohleberger Enhanced”. Like the more common Strong's system, the G/K system is a way to key an English (or other modern language) translation so you can see what the Greek or Hebrew word is behind it. The G/K system takes into account advances in learning about Greek and Hebrew that have happened since Strong's was developed. The E part means it includes phrase tagging: The original G/K and the Strong's system only key or tag one word in English, even when two or more words are being used to translate a single word in Hebrew or Greek. For example: in the NRSVue, Luke 22:14 includes the phrase “he took his place at the table.” Of all those words, only “table” is tagged/keyed. If you hover over “table,” the instant details will tell you that it is G0377, ἀναπίπτω/anapiptw, which is a verb (even though table is a noun). This is because one meaning of the verb “to recline," referring to recline at a table to eat. but in the NIV11-GKE, the wording is “reclined at the table.” and that entire phrase lights up when you hover over it. If you have the GNT open in a parallel pane, ἀνέπεσεν will highlight.
New English Translation with Strong's. Mostly for the extensive notes, that do a lot of explaining of translation decisions, possible translations/interpretations, etc.
For New Testament word studies, either New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology or New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis. The first one is organized in English alphabetical order. The second is a revision of the first, but organized in Greek alphabetical order. I have the first one, but would prefer the second because I have studied Greek & Hebrew. As of yet, though, my budget priorities haven't led me to purchase it.
For Old Testament word studies, New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis would be a good idea.
I also find the Jewish Study Bible and the Jewish Annotated New Testament (2nd edition) to provide helpful perspectives on the passages I am studying.
If you happen to read other languages, a Bible in Accordance in that language would be helpful, too. For example, I was a French major in college, so I often consult one or more French translations.
Given your interest in understanding more about the underlying Greek and/or Hebrew, but your (understandable!) hesitancy to dive into learning a new language at this point, I would recommend something that would discuss how Hebrew and Greek are different in grammar and structure than English, and provide background on the basic grammatical concepts in each language…..unfortunately I'm not aware of any such resource. A few examples of what I mean:
Hebrew doesn't have past, present, or future tenses. Just perfect and imperfect. Figuring out how to translate those tenses into the far more complex array of tenses in English is challenging and an imperfect (pun not intended) science.
While Hebrew's tenses are far simpler/fewer in number than English, any Hebrew verb can occur in several different “stems,” each of which gives a different nuance or meaning to the word (the qal is the “baseline” stem; niphal is typically passive, Hiphil often has the sense of doing the verb to someone else, etc.). There is no English equivalent to the stem structure.
Greek has a tense called aorist that English doesn't have.
English has active and passive “voices” (I sent; I was sent). Greek has both active and passive and middle voices.
Blessings on your studies, and please feel free to ask more questions!
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