:github_url: https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_uhg/src/branch/master/content/particle_relative.rst

.. _particle_relative:

Particle Relative
=================

Summary
-------

Relative particles introduce clauses or phrases that usually describe nouns but can also sometimes
describe adjectives and/or verbs. In English, relative particles are usually translated as “who,”
“that,” “which,” "when," or "where."

Article
-------

Biblical Hebrew utilizes three different particles that introduce relative clauses or phrases. The particle אֲשֶׁר and the
prefix -שֶׁ function as synonyms: they usually immediately follow nouns and sometimes adjectives. When functioning as a relative
particle, the word כִּי usually immediately follows a verb of seeing or perceiving.

אֲשֶׁר
----

אֲשֶׁר follows a
:ref:`noun<noun>`
and introduces a relative clause. Its translation depends on the noun.
For example, if the noun is a place, אֲשֶׁר means “where,” if the noun
is a person, it means “who”, and if the noun is an object, it means
“that”, “what” or “which.”

.. csv-table:: Example: EXO 3:5

  הַמָּק֗וֹם \ **אֲשֶׁ֤ר** אַתָּה֙ עוֹמֵ֣ד עָלָ֔יו
  hammaqom **'asher** 'attah 'omed 'alayw
  the-place **where** you are-standing on-it
  the place **where** you are standing

.. csv-table:: Example: 1KI 21:4

  "וַיָּבֹא֩ אַחְאָ֨ב אֶל־בֵּיתֹ֜ו סַ֣ר וְזָעֵ֗ף עַל־הַדָּבָר֙
     **אֲשֶׁר**\ ־דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלָ֗יו נָבֹות֙ הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִ֔י"
  "wayyavo' 'ah'av 'el-bethow sar weza'ef 'al-haddavar **'asher**-dibber
     'elayw navowth hayyizre'eli"
  "And-he-went-in Ahab to\_his-house resentful and-angry on\_the-word
     **that**\ \_had-spoken to-him Naboth the-Jezreelite"
  "So Ahab went into his palace resentful and angry **because of** the
     answer Naboth the Jezreelite gave him"

Sometimes there is no noun as an antecedent.

.. csv-table:: Example: NUM 22:6

  כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי אֵ֤ת \ **אֲשֶׁר**\ ־תְּבָרֵךְ֙ מְבֹרָ֔ךְ \ **וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר** תָּאֹ֖ר יוּאָֽר
  ki yada'ti 'eth **'asher**-tevarekh mevorakh **wa'asher** ta'or yu'ar
  "For I-know [dir.obj] **whom**\ \_you-bless is-blessed **and-whom**
     you-curse will-be-cursed."
  "For I know that **whomever** you bless will be blessed, and
     **whomever** you curse will be cursed."

-שֶׁ
----

-שֶׁ has the same function as אֲשֶׁר, but is a prefix. It also doubles
the next consonant and follows similar rules regarding the vowel
patterns as the :ref:`definite article<particle_definite_article>`.

.. csv-table:: Example: ECC 1:7

  אֶל־מְקֹ֗ום \ **שֶׁ֤הַנְּחָלִים֙** הֹֽלְכִ֔ים
  'el-meqowm **shehannehalim** holekhim
  To\_place **where-the-rivers** go
  To the place **where the rivers** go

.. csv-table:: Example: ECC 1:9

  מַה־\ **שֶּֽׁהָיָה֙** ה֣וּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶ֔ה
  mah-\ **shehayah** hu **sheyyihyeh**
  What\_\ **that-has-been** that **which-will-be**
  **Whatever has been** is **what will be**
  
  
כִּי
----

.. include:: includes/ci_flexible.txt

Biblical Hebrew uses the particle כִּי to introduce relative clauses or phrases
that describe something that is seen, known, or somehow perceived by a
person. Therefore, כִּי usually follows verbs of seeing/perceiving where
a reader might expect to find אֲשֶׁר. In English, it is usually
translated as “that” in these cases.

.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 1:3

  וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָא֖וֹר **כִּי**\ ־ט֑וֹב
  wayyar 'elohim 'eth-ha'or **ki**-tov
  And-he-saw God [dir.obj]\_the-light **that**\ \_good
  "God saw the light, **that** it was good."

.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 22:12

  עַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֗עְתִּי **כִּֽי**\ ־יְרֵ֤א אֱלֹהִים֙ אַ֔תָּה
  'attah yada'ti **ki**-yere 'elohim 'attah
  now I-know **that**\ \_fearful-of God you
  now I know **that** you respect and obey God