BBA Chapter 7 — Conjunctions and Prepositions

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Basics of Biblical Aramaic, Van Pelt
Chapter 7: Conjunctions and Prepositions

1. Introduction

Conjunctions and prepositions are the connective tissue of any language. They join clauses, establish logical relationships, and locate nouns in relation to one another — spatially, temporally, and logically. In Biblical Aramaic, this system is both familiar and freshly nuanced for the student who already knows Biblical Hebrew.

Several features stand out:

• Most prepositions are shared with Hebrew, though vowel pointing and usage patterns differ in detail.
• Biblical Aramaic has its own connector word, דִּי, which functions as a relative pronoun, a genitive particle, and the first element of many compound prepositions. It has no single Hebrew equivalent.
• Prefixed prepositions (בְּ-, לְ-, כְּ-) work similarly to Hebrew but interact differently with the determined state ending ָא.
• Stand-alone prepositions such as מִן and עַד appear frequently in Daniel and Ezra.
• The particle אַף ("also, even") and the logical connectors הֵן ("if/whether/behold") and לָהֵן ("therefore/but/except") are characteristic Aramaic vocabulary items that fall naturally into this chapter.

The vocabulary for this chapter (9 words) is light, but each word appears dozens of times in the Aramaic portions of the Old Testament. Mastery here pays dividends immediately.

2. The Conjunction וְ — Waw

Form

The conjunction וְ (waw, "and") in Biblical Aramaic is identical to its Hebrew counterpart. It is a prefixed conjunction that attaches directly to the first letter of the word it introduces.

Default vowel: simple shewa — וְ

Vowel changes follow the same rules as Hebrew:

Hebrew comparison: The rules are identical to BH waw. The difference is that in Biblical Aramaic, the waw-consecutive narrative pattern (וַיִּקְטֹל / וְקָטַל) is largely absent. Aramaic narrates primarily with the perfect and imperfect without waw-consecutive inversion. So when you see וְ in Aramaic prose, it is virtually always the simple coordinating conjunction "and," never a waw-consecutive.

Translation

• Coordinates nouns: מַלְכָּא וְשָׁלִיטָא — "the king and the ruler"
• Coordinates clauses: שְׁמַע מַלְכָּא וּנְפַל עַל אַנְפּוֹהִי — "the king heard and fell on his face"
• Can introduce contrast: "but" (context-dependent)

3. The Conjunction דִּי

Overview

The word דִּי (or דִ before some words) is one of the most important and most frequent words in Biblical Aramaic. It appeared first in Chapter 6 as a genitive linker. Here we expand its full range.

דִּי carries two primary functions:

1. Relative pronoun — "who, which, that"
2. Genitive marker — "of" (equivalent to the Hebrew construct chain)

A third function appears when דִּי combines with prepositions to form compound prepositions (see Section 7).

Function 1 — Relative Pronoun

דִּי introduces a relative clause, corresponding to Hebrew אֲשֶׁר.

Hebrew comparison: אֲשֶׁר = דִּי. The Aramaic particle is uninflected — it does not change for gender, number, or case.

Function 2 — Genitive Marker ("of")

When דִּי links two nouns in a possessive or descriptive relationship, it substitutes for the Hebrew construct chain. Instead of putting the first noun in construct form, Aramaic can leave both nouns in their base (absolute or determined) form and insert דִּי between them.

Note: Biblical Aramaic also uses genuine construct chains (as covered in Ch 6), so both strategies are available. דִּי + absolute/determined is especially common when the nomen rectum is itself determined or long.

Distinguishing the Two Uses

Ask whether a relative clause follows (with a verb or verbal idea) or whether two nouns simply stand in relation:

• Verb follows → relative pronoun ("that/which/who")
• Noun follows → genitive ("of")

4. Independent Prepositions

The following prepositions stand as independent words (not prefixed). They appear frequently in Daniel and Ezra.

עַל — Upon, Over, Concerning

עַל functions much like its Hebrew counterpart:

• Spatial: נְפַל עַל אַנְפּוֹהִי — "he fell upon his face" (Dan 2:46)
• Concerning: שִׂים עַל בָּבֶל — "set over Babylon" (Dan 2:48)
• Against: קָם עַל מַלְכָּא — "rose up against the king"

עַד — Until, Up To

• Temporal: עַד עָלְמָא — "until/unto eternity, forever" (Dan 2:44)
• Spatial: עַד שְׁמַיָּא — "up to the heavens" (Dan 4:8)

קֳדָם — Before, In the Presence of

This preposition is distinctively Aramaic. It conveys standing before someone in authority and is ubiquitous in the royal court language of Daniel.

• קֳדָם מַלְכָּא — "before the king" (Dan 2:27)
• קֳדָם אֱלָהָא — "before God"

אַחֲרֵי — After, Behind (Vocab Word)

The preposition אַחֲרֵי (after, behind) is both a preposition and a conjunction (when followed by a clause). It is a chapter 7 vocabulary word.

• אַחֲרֵי דְנָה — "after this" (Dan 2:29)
• As a conjunction with דִּי: אַחֲרֵי דִּי — "after that" (see Section 7)

Compare: בַּתַר is a synonymous preposition also meaning "after, behind" that appears in Aramaic. Both are used in Daniel.

לְקֳבֵל — Over Against, Before, Because Of

This preposition often appears in the phrase כָּל-קֳבֵל דִּי, which functions as a causal conjunction meaning "because, inasmuch as."

• לְקֳבֵל דְּנָה — "therefore, on account of this" (Dan 2:12)
• כָּל-קֳבֵל דִּי — "because" (Dan 2:40)

5. Prefixed Prepositions

Three prepositions in Biblical Aramaic attach directly to the following noun as prefixes. They are identical in form to their Hebrew counterparts.

Prefixing to Absolute Nouns

The prefix simply attaches, and the composite shewa rules apply as in Hebrew:

Prefixing to Determined Nouns (the ָא Ending)

In Hebrew, the definite article (הַ) causes doubling of the noun's first letter when a prefixed preposition is added (בַּמֶּלֶךְ). Biblical Aramaic works differently. The determined state ending ָא is simply retained as-is; there is no contraction or assimilation. The prefixed preposition attaches directly before the ָא ending.

Hebrew comparison: In Hebrew, בַּמֶּלֶךְ (the article assimilates). In Aramaic, the determined ָא is transparent — you simply prefix: בְּמַלְכָּא. This is one of the most important practical differences for students transitioning from Hebrew to Aramaic reading.

Vowel Adjustment Before Composite Shewa

When the first letter of the noun has a composite shewa (ḥateph vowel), the prefixed preposition takes the matching short vowel:

כְּ- — As, Like, According To

The prefix כְּ- expresses comparison or conformity:

• כְּחֶזְוָא — "like a vision" (Dan 2:31)
• כְּסַף וּכְדַהַב — "silver and gold" (combined with waw)
• כְּמֵימַר מַלְכָּא — "according to the word of the king"

6. מִן — The Versatile Preposition

Overview

The preposition מִן (from, out of, more than) is the most versatile preposition in Biblical Aramaic. It appears both as a stand-alone word and as a prefixed form מִ-. This dual behavior mirrors the Hebrew מִן but the prefixed form is more common in Aramaic.

Stand-Alone Form

Prefixed Form מִ- / מִּ-

When מִן directly prefixes a noun, the nun assimilates into the first letter of the noun (shown by dagesh forte):

Note: When the first letter of the noun cannot take dagesh (gutturals and ר), the nun is not assimilated and מִן remains stand-alone:
- מִן אַרְעָא (not *מַאַרְעָא) — "from the earth"

Comparative Use ("More Than")

The comparative "more than" use of מִן is important and frequent:

• יַתִּיר מִן כֹּל חַכִּימֵי בָבֶל — "exceedingly more than all the wise men of Babylon" (cf. Dan 1:20)
• רַב מִן כֹּל — "greater than all"

Temporal and Logical Extension

• מִן-קַדְמַת דְּנָא — "from ancient times, formerly"
• מִן דִּי — "from the time that / since / because" (compound, see Section 7)

7. Compound Prepositions with דִּי

One of the most productive patterns in Biblical Aramaic is the combination of a preposition + דִּי to form a compound conjunction. דִּי here serves as a subordinating particle, transforming a prepositional phrase into a full clause-introducer.

Common Compound Prepositions

How to Read These

When you encounter one of these compounds, the clause following דִּי functions as the complement of the preposition:

• עַד דִּי + clause = "until [clause]"
• מִן דִּי + clause = "since/because [clause]"

This parallels how Hebrew uses אֲשֶׁר and כִּי in compound constructions, but in Aramaic, דִּי does all this work alone.

8. Prepositions with Determined Nouns

The Rule

The determined ending ָא is simply retained. The prefix is added before it. There is no elision, no contraction, no doubling.

Examples

Important: Because both the determined and the absolute forms are possible after prefixed prepositions, you must read the form of the noun carefully. For example:
- בְּמַלְכוּ = "in a kingdom" (absolute)
- בְּמַלְכוּתָא = "in the kingdom" (determined)

9. Summary Table

Conjunctions

Prefixed Prepositions

Independent Prepositions

10. Examples from Daniel and Ezra

וְ — "And"

Daniel 2:35

וַהֲוָה לְטוּר רַב וּמְלַת כָּל-אַרְעָא
"And it became a great mountain and filled all the earth."

דִּי — Relative Pronoun

Daniel 2:28

אִיתַי אֱלָהּ בִּשְׁמַיָּא גָּלֵא רָזִין דִּי הוֹדַע לְמַלְכָּא
"There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries and he has made known to the king..."

דִּי — Genitive ("of")

Ezra 5:2

וּבְנוֹ בֵּית אֱלָהָא דִּי בִירוּשְׁלֶם
"And they began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem."

אַף — "Also, Even"

Daniel 3:19

וַאֲמַר לְמֵזֵי אַתּוּנָא שִׁבְעָה — (context: command with אַף in escalation)
The particle אַף intensifies commands and assertions throughout Daniel 3–4.

הֵן — "If / Behold"

Daniel 3:15

הֵן אִיתֵיכוֹן עֲתִידִין
"If you are ready..."

לָהֵן — "Therefore / But"

Daniel 2:6

לָהֵן חֶלְמָא וּפִשְׁרֵהּ הַחֲוֻנִי
"But the dream and its interpretation — tell me."

אֲרוּ — "Behold"

Daniel 2:31

אַנְתְּ מַלְכָּא חָזֵה הֲוַיְתָ וַאֲרוּ צְלֵם חַד
"You, O king, were watching, and behold, a great statue..."

מִן — "From, More Than"

Daniel 4:23

עַד שִׁבְעָה עִדָּנִין יַחְלְפוּן עֲלוֹהִי
"Until seven times pass over him." (עַד temporal)

Daniel 2:48

שַׁלִּיט עַל כָּל-מְדִינַת בָּבֶל
"Ruler over all the province of Babylon." (עַל governing)

קֳדָם — "Before, In the Presence of"

Daniel 2:27

עָנֵה דָנִיֵּאל קֳדָם מַלְכָּא
"Daniel answered before the king."

אַחֲרֵי — "After, Behind"

Daniel 2:39

וּבַתְרָךְ תְּקוּם מַלְכוּ אָחֳרִי
"And after you another kingdom will arise." (בַּתַר with suffix, synonymous with אַחֲרֵי)

11. Practice