Two nouns placed next to each other make up a construct chain which is the rough equivalent of the genitive case in Greek. The first noun is said to be in the construct state; the last noun is said to be in absolute state. more | video The following would be translated, “sons of Joseph”.
בְּנֵי יֹוסֵף
The first noun is said to be in the construct state; the second noun is said to be in absolute state.
Note:
- a noun ending in sere-yod, is always a masculine plural noun in construct;
- the entire construct chain is to be considered definite when the last noun is definite.
Nouns in construct can have a very wide range of meanings.
Possessive
A construct noun can indicate a person/thing possessed by the absolute noun.
| בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ |
| the king‘s palace |
Relational
A construct noun can indicate a kind of personal relationship with reference to the absolute noun as in the wife of Abram or אֵשֶׁת־אַבְרָם.
Material
An absolute noun can indicate the substance or material of the construct noun.
| כְּלֵי כֶסֶף |
| vessels of silver |
Attributive
An absolute noun can describe the construct noun, similar to an attributive adjective.
| זֶרַע קֹדֶשׁ |
| seed-of holiness |
Indicative
An absolute noun can indicate the specific item described by the construct noun.
| אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם |
| the land of Egypt |
Purpose/Result
An absolute noun can indicate an intended purpose/result for the construct noun.
| כְּצֹאן טִבְחָה |
| like-sheep-of slaughter |
Agent/Instrument
An absolute noun can indicate the person/thing by which the construct noun is performed.
| מֻכֵּה אֱלֹהִים |
| struck-of God |
Subject/object of an action
An absolute noun can indicate the person/thing that either performs or receives the action described by the construct noun.
| אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ |
| land flowing-with milk and-honey |
| a land flowing with milk and honey |
Superlative
A construct noun can indicate a unique item among a series described by the absolute noun.
| שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים |
| Song-of the-songs |
| The greatest song |