Chapter 19 — Pronominal Suffixes on Verbs Passage Exercise

For each highlighted form: (a) Base conjugation and root, (b) Suffix PGN, (c) Suffix role (Object or Subject on Inf.Const.), (d) Full gloss. Click ▶ Answer to reveal.

Key rule: Suffix on a finite verb = direct object. Suffix on an Infinitive Construct (usually with a preposition) = subject of the action.
Energic nun: In the Imperfect, doubled נּ before 3ms suffix = energic nun (יִשְׁמְרֶ֥נּוּ = "he will keep him").

Passage A — Genesis 28:13–15 (God's Promise to Jacob at Bethel)

הָ/אָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ שֹׁכֵ֣ב עָלֶ֔יהָ לְ/ךָ֥ אֶתְּנֶ֖נָּה וּ/לְ/זַרְעֶֽךָ׃
וּ/שְׁמַרְתִּ֙י/ךָ֙ בְּ/כֹ֣ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּלֵ֔ךְ
וַ/הֲשִׁ֣בֹתִ֔י/ךָ אֶל\־הָ/אֲדָמָ֖ה הַ/זֹּ֑את
כִּ֚י לֹ֣א אֶֽעֱזָבְ/ךָ֔ עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִם\־עָשִׂ֔יתִי

Genesis 28:15

#	Form	Base Conj. + Root	Suffix PGN
1	וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ
Qal Weqatal 1cs (שמר)	2ms	Object	"and I will keep you" — God's promise; suffix replaces אֹתְךָ
2	וַהֲשִׁבֹתִיךָ
Hiphil Weqatal 1cs (שוב)	2ms	Object	"and I will bring you back" — Hiphil causative "cause to return" + 2ms suffix
3	אֶעֱזָבְךָ
Qal Imperfect 1cs (עזב)	2ms	Object	"I will forsake you" — with לֹא = "I will NOT forsake you"; I-aleph gutt.

Passage B — Genesis 45:4–8 (Joseph Reveals Himself)

אֲנִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף אֲחִי/כֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁר\-מְכַרְתֶּ֥ם אֹתִ֖י מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃
שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים לִ/פְנֵי/כֶ֑ם
וַ/יִּשְׁלָחֵ֤נִי אֱלֹהִ֙ים֙ לִ/פְנֵי/כֶ֔ם

Genesis 45:4–8

#	Form	Base Conj. + Root	Suffix PGN
4	שְׁלָחַ֥נִי
Qal Perfect 3ms (שלח)	1cs	Object	"God sent me" — Perfect + 1cs suffix; Joseph's theological reframing of his suffering
5	וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֥נִי
Qal Wayyiqtol 3ms (שלח)	1cs	Object	"and God sent me" — Wayyiqtol = sequential narrative; note: same idea, different aspect (Perfect vs. Wayyiqtol)

Passage C — Psalm 23:1–4 (The LORD My Shepherd)

יְהוָ֥ה רֹ֝עִ֗י לֹ֣א אֶחְסָֽר׃
בִּ/נְא֣וֹת דֶּ֭שֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵ֑נִי
עַל\-מֵ֥י מְ֝נֻח֗וֹת יְנַהֲלֵ֥נִי
יַנְחֵ֥נִי בְמַעְגְּלֵי\-צֶ֝֗דֶק לְ/מַ֣עַן שְׁמ֑/וֹ׃
שִׁבְטְ/ךָ֥ וּ/מִשְׁעַנְתֶּ֗/ךָ הֵ֣מָּה יְנַחֲמֻ֑נִי

Psalm 23:2–4

#	Form	Base Conj. + Root	Suffix PGN
6	יַרְבִּיצֵ֑נִי
Hiphil Imperfect 3ms (רבץ)	1cs	Object	"he makes me lie down" — Hiphil causative + 1cs suffix; "in green pastures"
7	יְנַהֲלֵ֥נִי
Piel Imperfect 3ms (נהל)	1cs	Object	"he leads me" — Piel + 1cs; "beside still waters"
8	יַנְחֵ֥נִי
Hiphil Imperfect 3ms (נחה)	1cs	Object	"he guides me" — Hiphil + 1cs; III-ה; "in paths of righteousness"
9	יְנַחֲמֻ֑נִי
Piel Imperfect 3mp (נחם)	1cs	Object	"they comfort me" — Piel + 1cs; 3mp because rod and staff are plural subject; "your rod and staff, they comfort me"

Passage D — Genesis 39:12–20 (Infinitive Construct + Suffix)

כִּ/שְׁמֹ֣עַ אֲדֹנָ֗יו אֶת\-דִּבְרֵ֤י אִשְׁתּ֙/וֹ֙
כְּ/רְאֹת/וֹ֙ כִּ֣י\-עָזַ֤ב בִּגְד/וֹ֙ בְּ/יָדָ֔הּ
בִּ/הְיוֹת/וֹ֙ שָׁ֔ם בְּ/בֵ֖ית הַ/סֹּ֑הַר

Genesis 39:19–20

These forms use Inf.Const. + preposition + suffix. The suffix marks the subject of the infinitive clause, creating a temporal clause: "when X did…"

#	Form	Base Conj. + Root	Suffix PGN
10	כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ אֲדֹנָ֗יו
Qal Inf.Const. (שמע)	Subject expressed by אֲדֹנָ֗יו (not verb suffix)	Subject	"when his master heard" — כְּ temporal; subject follows as a noun, not as a suffix here
11	כְּ/רְאֹת/וֹ
Qal Inf.Const. (ראה)	3ms	Subject	"when he saw" — כְּ + III-ה Inf.Const. (רְאוֹת) + 3ms subject suffix
12	בִּ/הְיוֹת/וֹ
Qal Inf.Const. (היה)	3ms	Subject	"while he was there" — בְּ + III-ה Inf.Const. + 3ms subject suffix; temporal durative clause

Passage E — Psalm 16:1 + Deuteronomy 31:6

שָׁמְרֵ֥נִי אֵ֑ל כִּ֖י חָסִ֣יתִי בָֽ/ךְ׃

Psalm 16:1

לֹ֤א יַרְפְּ/ךָ֙ וְ/לֹ֣א יַעַזְבֶ֔/ךָּ

Deuteronomy 31:6

#	Form	Base Conj. + Root	Suffix PGN
13	שָׁמְרֵ֥נִי
Qal Imperative 2ms (שמר)	1cs	Object	"Keep me!" — classic prayer address; Psa 16:1; imperative + 1cs suffix is the standard form for personal petition
14	יַעַזְבֶ֔/ךָּ
Qal Imperfect 3ms (עזב)	2ms	Object	"he will forsake you" — with לֹא = "he will not forsake you"; Moses's promise to Israel before the crossing; III-ה + I-gutt.

Reflection Questions

In Passage B, Joseph uses both the Perfect (שְׁלָחַ֥נִי) and the Wayyiqtol (וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֤נִי) to say "God sent me" in adjacent verses. Both carry a 1cs suffix marking Joseph as the object. What is the difference in perspective or aspect between using the Perfect and the Wayyiqtol for the same completed past event? Why might the author/Joseph use both in the same speech?
In Passage C (Psalm 23), every verb in verses 2–4 carries a 1cs suffix: יַרְבִּיצֵ֑נִי, יְנַהֲלֵ֥נִי, יַנְחֵ֥נִי, יְנַחֲמֻ֑נִי. What is the rhetorical effect of this unbroken chain of "me" suffixes? How does the grammar enforce the psalm's central claim that this is not a general statement about God, but a personal, intimate declaration?
In Passage D, the Infinitive Construct + suffix constructions (כְּ/רְאֹת/וֹ, בִּ/הְיוֹת/וֹ) function as temporal clauses where the suffix marks the subject of the action. This is the opposite of the suffix on a finite verb. How would mistranslating the role of the suffix here (reading it as object rather than subject) change the meaning of the sentence? Give a concrete example of the wrong translation versus the correct one.