Nehemiah 11:16

Paleo Hebrew Niqqud

RBT Hebrew Interlinear:

ושבתי וְשַׁבְּתַי

and I have turned back

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wə

Definition

and

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

The conjunctive ו is not merely a fixed coordinator with a stable semantic value (“and/but/or/then”). Its core function is linkage, not meaning. It binds units into a single discourse field—phrases, clauses, or whole scenes—while leaving the logical relation to be inferred from aspect, word order, genre, and context.

So the variability in translation (“and / but / or / even / then”) is not polyvalence in the particle; it is underspecification by design. The language expects the reader/hearer to perceive the relation rather than have it encoded.

Crucially, conjunctive ו does not imply temporal sequence. It implies continuity of attention. Think of it as:
- “this belongs with what precedes,”
- “remain within the same frame,”
“do not reset the discourse.”
This is why Hebrew can chain dozens of clauses with ו without subordination or explicit logic markers. The text advances by accumulation, not by branching syntactic trees. Meaning arises from the interaction:
- Aspect (qatal / yiqtol / participle),
- Position (fronted elements, resumptive nouns),
- Genre (law, narrative, oracle),
- Context (who speaks, to whom).
The ו simply keeps the circuit closed so these cues can operate together. Remove tense assumptions, and the system becomes coherent.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

שבתי

Shabbᵉthay

Definition

Shabbethai, the name of three Israelites

Root

from H7676 (שבת); restful;

Exhaustive

from שבת; restful; Shabbethai, the name of three Israelites; Shabbethai.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H7678

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

שַׁבְתַּי

noun proper masculine • Consonantal / Low • Page 1381

Proper name (He who is worshipped as Saturn; perhaps sabbath-born).

Matched after stripping common prefixes

Conjunction, Noun proper name masculine

LXX: ''

LXX Usage Statistics

H7678:

'' 2× (66.7%)

ויוזבד וְיוֹזָבָ֜ד

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wə

Definition

and

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

The conjunctive ו is not merely a fixed coordinator with a stable semantic value (“and/but/or/then”). Its core function is linkage, not meaning. It binds units into a single discourse field—phrases, clauses, or whole scenes—while leaving the logical relation to be inferred from aspect, word order, genre, and context.

So the variability in translation (“and / but / or / even / then”) is not polyvalence in the particle; it is underspecification by design. The language expects the reader/hearer to perceive the relation rather than have it encoded.

Crucially, conjunctive ו does not imply temporal sequence. It implies continuity of attention. Think of it as:
- “this belongs with what precedes,”
- “remain within the same frame,”
“do not reset the discourse.”
This is why Hebrew can chain dozens of clauses with ו without subordination or explicit logic markers. The text advances by accumulation, not by branching syntactic trees. Meaning arises from the interaction:
- Aspect (qatal / yiqtol / participle),
- Position (fronted elements, resumptive nouns),
- Genre (law, narrative, oracle),
- Context (who speaks, to whom).
The ו simply keeps the circuit closed so these cues can operate together. Remove tense assumptions, and the system becomes coherent.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

יוזבד

Yôwzâbâd

Definition

Jozabad, the name of ten Israelites

Root

a form of H3075 (יהוזבד);

Exhaustive

a form of יהוזבד; Jozabad, the name of ten Israelites; Josabad, Jozabad.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3107

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

יוֹזָבָד

noun proper masculine • Strongs / High • Page 594

A proper name, masculine.

Conjunction, Noun proper name masculine

LXX: ιωζαβαδ ιωζαβαθ ''

LXX Usage Statistics

H3107:

ιωζαβαδ 5× (47.2%)

ιωζαβαθ 3× (26.4%)

'' 2× (17.6%)

על עַל־

upon/against/yoke

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

על

ʻal

Definition

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

Root

properly, the same as H5920 (על) used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following);

Exhaustive

properly, the same as על used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications; above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, [idiom] with.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H5921

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

עַל

adjective / noun • Root עלה • Strongs / High • Page 1088

Highest; same as עֶלְיוֹן. This form is abridged from עָלָה and derived from עָלַי (like יַד from יָדָה I.), serving as the construct form עֲלֵי (out of עֲלַאי).

עַל

preposition / adverb • Root עלה • Strongs / High • Page 1088

A preposition: upon, over, above, super, in the widest sense. It expresses protecting, covering, resting above upon (answering to 'where'); motion toward the upper surface (answering to 'whither?'); local direction to a more distant agency; or proximity/timing ('with, at'). Used figuratively as dat. commodi and incommodi, meaning a burden or duty upon one, or with certain verbs replacing the dative case. Also expresses motion down upon or up to, sometimes interchanging with אֶל.

עַל

preposition / adverb • Strongs / High • Page 1089

Preposition or Adverb meaning upon, over, at, above (denoting physical overtopping or mental superiority/dominion); expressing addition (to, reckoned to); proximity (by, around); suitability (according to); or occasionally used concessively (though, quanquam).

עַל

preposition / particle / conjunction • Strongs / High • Page 1090

Properly, over, upon, concerning, notwithstanding, against, towards, for the sake of, on account of. Used to express position, antithesis, or distance (away from). After certain verbs, signifies giving way, removing, or fleeing. Also forms various compound particles (e.g., עַל-מָה, עַל-כֵּן, עַל אֲשֶׁר).

עַל

preposition (aramaic) • Root אלא • Strongs / High • Page 1090

Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew עַל. Means: Upon, over, on account of, unto, against, or dative. (Used with suffixes like עָלַי, עָלֵךְ, עֲלֵיהוֹן).

עַל

noun / prepos. • Root עלה • Strongs / High • Page 1092

Derivative of עָלָה, listed as a noun and a preposition.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

עַל

substantive / adverb / adjective • Root עלה • Page 507

Strictly a substantive meaning whatever is high or uppermost (Hos. 7:16, 11:7). Used as an adverb: (1.) 'above' (Gen. 27:39, 49:25; Ps. 50:4). Used as an adjective: (2.) 'high' (2 Sam. 23:1).

Preposition

LXX: ἐπὶ ἐπ' ἐφ' τοῦτο ''

LXX Usage Statistics

H5921a:

ἐπὶ 1722× (33.1%)

ἐπ' 701× (13.4%)

ἐφ' 195× (3.7%)

τοῦτο 116× (1.9%)

'' 116× (1.9%)

περὶ 113× (2.2%)

ἀπὸ 108× (2.1%)

--- 108× (2.1%)

αὐτοὺσ 95× (1.6%)

εἰσ 93× (1.8%)

המלאכה הַמְּלָאכָה

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ה

Definition

the

Root

Demonstrative primitive

Exhaustive

definite article, the, used for all numbers and genders; originally a pronoun demonstrative, this. interrogative particle in direct and indirect questions; in disjunctive questions: whether--or.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

מלאכה

mᵉlâʼkâh

Definition

properly, deputyship, i.e. ministry; generally, employment (never servile) or work (abstractly or concretely); also property (as the result of labor)

Root

from the same as H4397 (מלאך);

Exhaustive

from the same as מלאך; properly, deputyship, i.e. ministry; generally, employment (never servile) or work (abstractly or concretely); also property (as the result of labor); business, [phrase] cattle, [phrase] industrious, occupation, ([phrase] -pied), [phrase] officer, thing (made), use, (manner of) work((-man), -manship).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H4399

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

מְלָאכָה

noun feminine • Root לאך • Strongs / High • Page 854

Service, employment, work, labor, activity; field-work, husbandry; business, commerce; work of an artisan, manufacture; woven work; graving-work; architecture; temple service; a plan or pattern; the work of God, creation; riches gained by labor.

מְלָאכָה

noun feminine • Root מלאך • Strongs / High • Page 853

Work, business, service (derived from מְלָאךְ).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

מְלָאכָה

noun feminine • Root לאך • Page 378

1. business. Gen. 39:11. Ex. 20:9, 10. 2. work, labour, of an artificer, mechanic. Lev. 13:48. 1 Chr. 23:4. 2 K. 12:12. 1 K. 5:30. 3. goods, substance, cattle. Ex. 22:7, 10. Gen. 33:14. 1 Sam. 15:9.

Particle definite article, Noun common feminine singular absolute

LXX: ἔργον ἔργα ἐργασίαν ἔργων ἔργου

LXX Usage Statistics

H4399:

ἔργον 54× (32.7%)

ἔργα 50× (28.0%)

ἐργασίαν 11× (6.6%)

ἔργων 8× (4.4%)

ἔργου 4× (2.3%)

'' 4× (2.2%)

ἔργοισ 4× (1.9%)

ἔργῳ 3× (1.9%)

ἐργασία 3× (1.5%)

βασιλείᾳ 2× (1.0%)

החיצנה הַחִיצֹנָה

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ה

Definition

the

Root

Demonstrative primitive

Exhaustive

definite article, the, used for all numbers and genders; originally a pronoun demonstrative, this. interrogative particle in direct and indirect questions; in disjunctive questions: whether--or.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

חיצון

chîytsôwn

Definition

properly, the (outer) wall side; hence, exterior; figuratively, secular (as opposed to sacred)

Root

from H2434 (חיץ);

Exhaustive

from חיץ; properly, the (outer) wall side; hence, exterior; figuratively, secular (as opposed to sacred); outer, outward, utter, without.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H2435

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

חִיצוֹן

adjective / f. • Root חיץ • Strongs / High • Page 481

Outer, exterior (e. g. the fore-court, the hall); intended for the people, civil business, contrasted with sacred.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

חִיצוֹן

denom. adj. • Root חוץ • Page 226

Outer, external (Ezek. 10:5); civil, in opposition to sacred (1 Chr. 26:29, Neh. 11:16).

Particle definite article, Adjective adjective feminine singular absolute

LXX: ἐξωτέραν ἐξωτέρασ ἔξω '' ἐσωτέραν

LXX Usage Statistics

H2435:

ἐξωτέραν 9× (36.8%)

ἐξωτέρασ 5× (20.4%)

ἔξω 3× (13.0%)

'' 2× (8.2%)

ἐσωτέραν 2× (8.2%)

לבית לְבֵית

to the house

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ל

lə

Definition

to, for

Root

A primitive particle; a prefix

Exhaustive

(lamed) — to / toward / for

Core value: orientation, directionality, belonging
ל is often mistranslated as purpose (“in order to”), but that smuggles in future-time. In reality, ל marks:
- movement toward,
- dedication unto,
- reference with respect to.
Aonically, ל is vectorial, not teleological.
not “for the sake of a future outcome”
but “oriented toward a locus or pole.”
This is why possession (“belongs to”) and motion (“toward”) use the same preposition: both indicate relational alignment, not time.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

בית

bayith

Definition

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

Root

probably from H1129 (בנה) abbreviated;

Exhaustive

probably from בנה abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.); court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H1004

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

בִּית

verb • Root בית • Consonantal / Medium • Page 230

To pass the night.

Matched via consonantal key only

בַּיִת

noun masculine • Root בות • Consonantal / Medium • Page 237

house in the widest sense, consequently also tent, hut, tower, palace, temple

Matched via consonantal key only

בַּיִת

noun masculine (aramaic) • Consonantal / Medium • Page 239

The same [as Hebrew 'house']; king's house; temple; treasury; banquet-house.

Matched via consonantal key only

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

בַּּיִת

noun • Page 97

A city of Moab, Is. 15:2. Elsewhere written more in full as בֵּית בַּעַל מְעוֹן.

בַּיִת

noun masculine • Root בות • Page 96

1. House, dwelling (Gen. 15:3, Ecc. 2:7). 2. Tent (Gen. 33:17, 2 K. 23:7). 3. Palace, temple (Gen. 12:15, 1 Sam. 5:2, 1 K. 4:6, Is. 14:18). 4. Applied to part of a house or palace, e.g., banqueting-hall (Est. 7:8) or harem (Est. 2:3). 5. Repository, place, or container of any thing, e.g., smelling bottles (Is. 3:20), places for staves (Ex. 26:29), spider's web (Job 8:14), trench (1 K. 18:32), or tomb (Neh. 2:3). 6. The inner part, within (Ex. 28:26, Gen. 6:14). 7. Figuratively: family, kindred, tribe, people (Ex. 12:4, Gen. 7:1, Hos. 8:1). 8. Particularly posterity (Ruth 4:11, 2 Sam. 7:27). 9. Strictly one's father's house (Gen. 24:23, 46:31, Num. 1:2).

Preposition, Noun common both singular construct

LXX: οἶκον οἴκου οἴκῳ οἶκοσ pεἰσ

LXX Usage Statistics

H1004b:

οἶκον 503× (20.8%)

οἴκου 413× (18.3%)

οἴκῳ 323× (12.8%)

οἶκοσ 163× (7.1%)

pεἰσ 92× (4.6%)

οἴκουσ 89× (3.7%)

οἰκίαν 75× (3.1%)

pἐν 70× (3.4%)

--- 57× (2.8%)

'' 54× (2.3%)

האלהים הָאֱלֹהִים

the Gods

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ה

Definition

the

Root

Demonstrative primitive

Exhaustive

definite article, the, used for all numbers and genders; originally a pronoun demonstrative, this. interrogative particle in direct and indirect questions; in disjunctive questions: whether--or.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

אלהים

ʼĕlôhîym

Definition

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative

Root

plural of H433 (אלוה);

Exhaustive

plural of אלוה; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H430

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

אֱלֹהִים

noun masculine plural • Root אלוה • Strongs_Numbers • Page 134

God, the Deity; used most frequently as a plural of majesty for the true and most high God (Jehovah); also used for national gods or guardian deities.

אֱלֹהִים

noun masculine plural • Strongs_Numbers • Page 135

Plural in form but often used as singular. 1. The supreme and universal God, God of humanity (distinct from the national name YHWH). 2. Applied to heathen gods. 3. Applied to judges (as representatives of God's judgment). 4. Applied to angels (disputed). 5. Applied to kings or ghosts. 6. Used with other nouns to express the superlative or highest degree (e.g., 'mountain of God' for a great mountain).

אֱלֹהִים

proper name • Strongs_Numbers • Page 591

God. The vowels of this word are assigned to the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) when it is preceded by אֲדֹנָי, resulting in the form יֱהֹוִה.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

אֱלֹהִים

plur. • Root אלוה • Page 51

1. gods, in the plural number (Ex. 20:3). 2. as a pluralis excellentiae: God in the singular (Gen. 1:1, etc.). 3. בֶּן-אֱלֹהִים (son of God), applied to kings, angels, or worshippers (Ps. 2:7, Gen. 6:2, Job 1:6). 4. אִישׁ אֱלֹהִים (man of God), applied to prophets and servants of God (Judg. 13:6, 1 Sam. 2:27, Deut. 33:1). 5. Used superlatively: 'great before God' (Jon. 3:3, Gen. 23:6).

Particle definite article, Noun common masculine plural absolute

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0430:

No stats available

מראשי מֵרָאשֵׁי

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

מ

mi / min

Definition

from

Root

Abbreviated from H4480

Exhaustive

(mem) — from / out of

Core value: emergence, separation, derivation
מ does not merely indicate origin in time (“after”). It marks boundary-crossing:
- source,
- differentiation,
- contrast,
- extraction.
Aonically, מ indicates transition between states.
not “after X” but “out from within X.”
This is why מ can signal both cause and contrast: both involve standing on the far side of a boundary.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

ראש

rôʼsh

Definition

the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)

Root

from an unused root apparently meaning to shake;

Exhaustive

from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.); band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H7218

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

רֹאשׁ

noun • Strongs / High • Page 1330

Poppy (reference to DEUT. 32, 32).

רֹאשׁ

noun / masculine • Root ראש • Strongs / High • Page 1311

1. Prop. skull; hence head, of men or animals. 2. Metaphor of things: the point, summit, capital, scepter, the highest. Fig. principal, highest (as of oil or feelings), a prince, king, principal person. The sum, total, multitude. The foremost, first, beginning.

רֹאשׁ

noun masculine • Root ראש • Strongs / High • Page 1312

1. Source of a river; beginning, commencement (of time). 2. Poison (רוֹשׁ), poisonous berries/water; fig. viciousness.

רֹאשׁ

noun proper • Strongs / High • Page 1312

n. p. of a people (Rosh) belonging to the Scythian king Gog, dwelling in the high north (identified by some classical writers with Russians/Roxolani).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

רָאשׁ

adjective • Page 602

poor. See רוּשׁ.

רֹאשׁ

noun masculine • Root ראש ראש • Page 603

1. a head. —נָתַן בְּרֹאשׁ to let come on the head of any one, Ezek. 9: 10, 11: 21. בְּרֵאשֵׁינוּ with the danger of our heads, 1 Chr. 12: 19. 2. the first or highest in its kind. Hence (1.) a head, chief, leader (1 Sam. 15: 17, Ex. 6: 14, 25). (2.) a chief city, metropolis (Josh. 11: 10). (3.) the highest place, first rank—כֹּהֵן הָרֹאשׁ the high-priest (2 Chr. 19: 11). (4.) the top or highest part, as of a mountain (Gen. 8: 5), of a tower (Gen. 11: 4). Metaphorically רֹאשׁ שִׂמְחָה the highest joy (Ps. 137: 6). 3. the first; e. g. רֹאשׁ הַחֳדָשִׁים the first month (Ex. 12: 2). 4. the sum, the whole number (Lev. 5: 24, Ps. 119: 160). 5. a company, multitude, host (Judg. 7: 16, 1 Sam. 11: 11).

רֹאשׁ

prop. er name • Page 603

Proper name of a Scythian people, mentioned in connexion with Meshech and Tubal, in the northern parts of Asia Minor (Ezek. 38: 2, 3. 39: 1). The Byzantine writers speak of a rude and savage people about the northern Taurus, called Pōs, (Russians?).

Prep-M, Noun common masculine plural construct

LXX: κεφαλὴν κεφαλῆσ ἄρχοντεσ κεφαλήν κεφαλὰσ

LXX Usage Statistics

H7218a:

κεφαλὴν 123× (18.7%)

κεφαλῆσ 55× (8.5%)

ἄρχοντεσ 50× (8.4%)

κεφαλήν 34× (5.2%)

κεφαλὰσ 29× (4.4%)

ἄρχων 21× (3.4%)

κεφαλὴ 19× (2.8%)

ἀρχῆσ 15× (2.3%)

κορυφῆσ 14× (2.0%)

κορυφὴν 13× (2.0%)

הלוים הַלְוִיִּם׃

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ה

Definition

the

Root

Demonstrative primitive

Exhaustive

definite article, the, used for all numbers and genders; originally a pronoun demonstrative, this. interrogative particle in direct and indirect questions; in disjunctive questions: whether--or.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

לויי

Lêvîyîy

Definition

a Levite or descendant of Levi

Root

or לוי; patronymically from H3878 (לוי);

Exhaustive

or לוי; patronymically from לוי; a Levite or descendant of Levi; Leviite.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3881

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

וְ

conjunction • Consonantal / Low • Page 418

The conjunction 'and', used to unite words and clauses. It can also signify 'with', 'indeed', and 'yet'. It has variants like וַ and וָ depending on the following syllable.

Matched via prefix/suffix stripped stem

וּ

conjunction • Consonantal / Low • Page 418

The strongly uniting Vau, often with the future tense (imperfect); a form of the Vau conversive.

Matched via prefix/suffix stripped stem

Particle definite article, Noun gentilic masculine plural absolute

LXX: λευῖται λευιτῶν λευίταισ λευίτασ λευίτησ

LXX Usage Statistics

H3881:

λευῖται 91× (29.3%)

λευιτῶν 57× (19.4%)

λευίταισ 43× (14.8%)

λευίτασ 40× (13.7%)

λευίτησ 19× (6.6%)

λευι 13× (5.2%)

'' 8× (2.8%)

λευίτου 6× (2.1%)

t? 5× (1.5%)

--- 4× (1.7%)

RBT Translation:

No verse found

RBT Paraphrase:
No verse found

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
And Sabbethai and Jozabad over the exterior work to the house of God, from the heads of the Levites.

LITV Translation:
And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the rulers of the Levites, had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God.