3B Hebrew Prefixes and Suffixes

A characteristic of Hebrew is its use of prefixes and suffixes to form compound words. For example, betsal·meʹnu, “in our image,” occurs in Ge 1:26. The Hebrew word for “image” is preceded by the prefix be, “in,” and followed by the suffix eʹnu, “our,” thus producing the compound expression “in our image.”

In the footnote apparatus you will encounter many prefixes (including conjunctions and articles) and suffixes attached to Hebrew basic words. Following are some of the more common ones found in the footnote apparatus of this Reference Bible.

PREFIXES in Hebrew (small word forms added before the Hebrew basic word)

ha, he, ho	= the (definite article) or at times the particle indicating a question
we, u	= and, but, also (conjuctive, connective)
be, ve	= in, into, by, with
ke, khe	= as, like, according to
le	= to, for, at, of, against
me	= from, of

SUFFIXES in Hebrew (small word forms added after the Hebrew basic word)

Added to singular words

—-i	= my
—-(e)kha	= your (masc. sing.)
—-ekh	= your (fem. sing.)
—-oh	= his
—-ah	= her
—-eʹnu	= our
—-(e)khem	= your (masc. pl.)
—-(e)khen	= your (fem. pl.)
—-am	= their (masc. pl.)
—-an	= their (fem. pl.)

Added to plural words

—-ai	= my
—-eyʹkha	= your (masc. sing.)
—-aʹyikh	= your (fem. sing.)
—-avʹ	= his
—-eyʹha	= her
—-ehʹnu	= our
—-eh·khemʹ	= your (masc. pl.)
—-eh·khenʹ	= your (fem. pl.)
—-eh·hemʹ	= their (masc. pl.)
—-eh·henʹ	= their (fem. pl.)

Plural Endings

—-im	= pl. of masc. words (e.g. su·simʹ, “horses”)
—-ohth, oth	= pl. of fem. words
—-eh, ai	= pl. of masc. words in the Hebrew construct state

Dual Endings, usually indicating pairs

—-aʹyim

e.g., su·saʹyim, “pair of horses”

Particle of Direction (accusative)

—-ah	e.g., neghʹbah, “toward the south” or “southward” (See 1Ki 7:25 ftns.)