Construct Chain as Destination Complement (Hebrew)¶
Definition¶
A Hebrew construct chain may stand as the object of a directional preposition, forming a single destination complement. The preposition governs the whole chain, not only the first noun; the construct head and absolute noun together name the destination.
- Preposition + construct chain - אֶל, לְ, עַד, or בְ may govern a complete construct phrase.
- Destination complement - the phrase answers "to where?" or "into what location?"
- Chain-level semantics - the final absolute noun specifies the kind, owner, quality, or class of the head noun.
Form Recognition¶
- Directional or locative preposition before a construct head.
- First noun parsed
Noun.*.Cst; following noun parsedNoun.*.Abs. - Clause parser often tags the whole prepositional phrase as
[Cmpl]. - Parser search:
sp=subs st=cto locate construct heads; then check verse/clause context. - Construct parser:
hebrew_parser.py --construct <ref>.
Functions with Examples¶
1. אֶל + Construct Chain as Goal¶
| Reference | Hebrew | Parsing | KJV Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lev 16:22 | אֶל־אֶרֶץ גְּזֵרָה | Prep + Noun.s.Cst + Noun.fs.Abs | "unto a land not inhabited" |
| Gen 2:11 | אֶרֶץ הַחֲוִילָה | Noun.s.Cst + Art + proper/location noun | "the land of Havilah" |
| Gen 2:13 | אֶרֶץ כּוּשׁ | Noun.s.Cst + proper/location noun | "the land of Ethiopia" |
In Lev 16:22, אֶל governs the full construct phrase אֶרֶץ גְּזֵרָה. The destination is not merely "land" in abstraction but the land qualified by גְּזֵרָה.
2. Locative Complement with Construct Chain¶
| Reference | Hebrew | Parsing | KJV Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lev 16:21 | בְּיַד־אִישׁ עִתִּי | Prep + Noun.s.Cst + Noun.ms.Abs + Adj.ms.Abs | "by the hand of a fit man" |
| Lev 16:21 | עַל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׂעִיר | Prep + Noun.ms.Cst + Art + Noun.ms.Abs | "upon the head of the goat" |
| Lev 16:22 | בַּמִּדְבָּר | Prep + Art + Noun.ms.Abs | "in the wilderness" |
These examples show the contrast between a preposition governing a construct chain and a preposition governing a simple absolute noun.
Contrast with Related Forms¶
| Form | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Preposition + construct chain | destination/location phrase headed by full chain | Lev 16:22 אֶל־אֶרֶץ גְּזֵרָה |
| Bare construct chain | nominal relation without preposition | Lev 16:21 רֹאשׁ הַשָּׂעִיר |
| Preposition + absolute noun | simple location/destination, no internal genitive relation | Lev 16:22 בַּמִּדְבָּר |
| Directional heh | locative/directional suffix, often "toward" | Lev 16:21 הַמִּדְבָּרָה |
Lev 16:22 Parser-Verified Form¶
| Word | Lemma | Parsing | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| אֶל | אל | Prep | to |
| אֶרֶץ | ארץ | Noun.s.Cst | earth/land |
| גְּזֵרָה | גזרה | Noun.fs.Abs | dry land / cut-off place |
Clause parser tags the phrase as [Cmpl] אֶל אֶרֶץ גְּזֵרָה, a destination complement of וְנָשָׂא. The grammar establishes the phrase as a goal/destination complement; it does not decide theological symbolism.
Generated from: hebrew_parser.py (--verse, --construct, --clause, --lemma) Last updated: 2026-05-07