Proverbs 8:24:1Prov.8.24.W1TAB
בְּאֵין־תְּהֹמ֥וֹת
beentehomot
“when there was no depths”
- Transliteration
- be-EN-te-ho-MOT
- Extended
- beh-EEN-teh-hoh-MOHT
- IPA
- /bəˈʔeːn.tə.hoˈmoːt/
Meaning by language
- English
- when there was no depths
Hebrew · tap a syllable to hear it
Alphabet Analysis
| Bet | b with dagesh; v without dagesh | |
| Sheva | vocal sheva — a short 'e' (ə), begins a syllable | |
| Aleph | silent — a glottal stop; holds vowel points | |
| Tsere | long 'ey' as in they | |
| Yod | y as in yes; marks long ī | |
| Nun Sofit | final form of Nun — at word end | |
| Tav | t as in top | |
| Sheva | vocal sheva — a short 'e' (ə), begins a syllable | |
| He | h as in house; silent at word end | |
| Holem | long 'oh' as in go | |
| Mem | m as in mother | |
| Vav | v as in vine; marks long ō / ū | |
| Holem | long 'oh' as in go | |
| Tav | t as in top |
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The word
Word in context
- word
be-EN-te-ho-MOT
- clause
be-EN-te-ho-MOT kho-LAL-te
- sentence
be-EN-te-ho-MOT kho-LAL-te be-EN ma-e-ya-NOT nikh-bad-DE-ma-YIM
Exegesis
The verse opens with the conditional particle be’ein {בְּאֵין | bə-ʾêyn}, establishing two absolute temporal clauses.
In the first clause tehomot {תְּהֹמוֹת | tə-hō-mōt} ‘depths’ evokes the formless primeval waters.
The second clause mirrors the first with be’ein {בְּאֵ֥ין | bə-ʾêyn} introducing ma’yanot {מַעְיָנוֹת | ma‘-yā-nōṯ} ‘springs,’ and the Pual participle construct nikhbaddei-mayim {נִכְבַּדֵּי־מָֽיִם | niḵ-bad-dê-mā-yim} ‘heavy with water’ conveying the sense of overflowing subterranean sources. The balanced parallelism underscores Wisdom’s precedence over chaotic waters, with Hebrew word order reinforcing the theological emphasis on her primordial role.
Root and etymology
t-h-mtav–heh–mem
“deep, abyss”
In context — Proverbs 8:24
When there were no depths , I was brought forth; when there were no springs abounding with water.
About this coordinate
Proverbs 8:24:1 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 1 of Proverbs 8:24, so the Hebrew word בְּאֵין־תְּהֹמ֥וֹת (beentehomot) can be cited, linked and studied at exactly this position rather than somewhere in the verse. In the Biblical Knowledge Coordinate System the same position is written Prov.8.24.W1, which extends further down to each syllable (Prov.8.24.W1.S1) and character.