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

.. _state_construct:

State Construct
===============

Summary
-------

The contruct state is a modified form of a word (noun, adjective, participle, or infinitive) in contrast to the standard form
called the absolute state.  The construct state is used when a word takes a suffix or is connected to another term in a
construct chain.

Article
-------

:ref:`Nouns<noun>`, :ref:`adjectives<adjective>`, :ref:`participles<participle_active>` and
:ref:`infinitives<infinitive_construct>` can appear in either the :ref:`absolute state<state_absolute>` or the construct state.
The construct state ending is shorter than the absolute state ending and can take an attached :ref:`suffix<suffix>`.
Nouns, adjectives and participles can appear in either the absolute state or the construct state for both 
:ref:`masculine<gender_masculine>` and :ref:`feminine<gender_feminine>` terms in both :ref:`singular<number_singular>`
and :ref:`plural<number_plural>` forms. Because infinitives do not change form for either gender or number, there is
usually only one :ref:`infinitive construct<infinitive_construct>` form and one :ref:`infinitive absolute<infinitive_absolute>`
form of a verb in Biblical Hebrew.

.. note:: Many masculine singular nouns appear exactly alike in both the absolute state and the construct state. 

The construct state serves a unique function in Biblical Hebrew to grammatically link a word to the following word(s),making
a single grammatical unit called a :ref:`construct chain<state_construct-construct-chain>`. Words in a construct chain are often
translated into English with the word "of" between them.  Construct chains can consist of two words (for example, "the *king* of
*Israel*") or more than two words (for example, "the *son* of the *king* of *Israel*").  

Form
----

For most nouns, the masculine singular form is identical to the absolute state. The masculine plural construct ending drops the
final ם and changes the final hireq to a segol (i-sound to e-sound).

Usually, the feminine singular construct ending changes from a final ה to a final ת.  The feminine plural construct ending is
identical to the absolute state.

Paradigm
~~~~~~~~

.. csv-table:: Construct State Examples

  Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
  "Noun, masculine singular construct",סוּס,sus,stallion of
  "Noun, masculine plural construct",סוּסֵי,suse,stallions of
  "Noun, feminine singular construct",סוּסַת,susat,mare of
  "Noun, feminine plural construct",סוּסוֹת,susoth,mares of

Function
--------

Appearing with a suffix
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


.. csv-table:: Example: 2SA 17:23

  וַיָּ֜קָם וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אֶל־\ **בֵּיתוֹ֙** אֶל־עִיר֔וֹ
  wayyaqom wayyelekh 'el-**betho** 'el-**'iro**
  And-he-stood-up and-went to\_\ **his-house** to\_\ **his-city**
  He went **home** to **his own city**

.. _state_construct-construct-chain:

Forming a construct chain
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two or more terms that are gramatically linked together to form a construct chain can express a wide range of meanings.
The initial term(s) in a construct chain always appears in the construct state and is called the "construct noun(s)."
The final term in a construct chain always appears in the absolute state and is called the
:ref:`"absolute noun"<state_absolute-absolute-noun>`.  The absolute noun always determines whether a construct chain is
:ref:`definite<state_absolute-definite-chain>` or :ref:`indefinite<state_absolute-indefinite-chain>`.  

Possessive
^^^^^^^^^^
A construct noun can indicate a person/thing possessed by the absolute noun.

.. csv-table:: Example: 1KI 9:10

  בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ
  **beth** hammelekh
  **house-of** the-king
  the king\ **'s palace**


Relational
^^^^^^^^^^
A construct noun can indicate a kind of personal relationship with reference to the absolute noun.

EXAMPLE


Material
^^^^^^^^
An absolute noun can indicate the substance or material of the construct noun.

.. csv-table:: Example: 1KI 10:25

  כְּלֵ֣י כֶסֶף֩
  **kele** khesef
  **vessels-of** silver
  **vessels** of silver


Attributive
^^^^^^^^^^^
An absolute noun can describe the construct noun, similar to an :ref:`attributive adjective<adjective-attributive>`.

.. csv-table:: Example: ISA 6:13

  זֶ֥רַע קֹ֖דֶשׁ
  **zera'** qodesh
  **seed-of** holiness
  a holy **seed**


Indicative
^^^^^^^^^^
An absolute noun can indicate the specific item described by the construct noun.

.. csv-table:: Example: EXO 7:19

  אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם
  **'erets** mitsrayim
  **land-of** Egypt
  **the land** of Egypt


Purpose/Result
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
An absolute noun can indicate an intended purpose/result for the construct noun.

.. csv-table:: Example: PSA 44:22 (PSA 44:23 in Hebrew)

  כְּצֹ֣אן טִבְחָֽה
  **ketson** tivhah
  **like-sheep-of** slaughter
  **as sheep for** the slaughter


Agent/Instrument
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
An absolute noun can indicate the person/thing by which the construct noun is performed.

.. csv-table:: Example: ISA 53:4

  מֻכֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים
  **mukkeh** 'elohim
  **struck-of** God
  **struck by** 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.

.. csv-table:: Example: EXO 3:8

  אֶ֛רֶץ \ **זָבַ֥ת** חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ
  'erets **zavath** halav udevash
  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.

.. csv-table:: Example: SNG 1:1

  שִׁ֥יר הַשִּׁירִ֖ים
  **shir** hashirim
  **Song-of** the-songs
  The greatest **song**