Deep Dive into הוּא

The Hebrew word hū’ primarily serves as the third-person singular masculine pronoun, translated as "he" or "it." Its feminine counterpart is hī’, meaning "she." A significant linguistic feature found throughout the Pentateuch is the use of hū’ as an epicene or common-gender pronoun, representing both masculine and feminine subjects. Scholars suggest this may be an archaism or a reflection of older orthography where the distinction was not always graphically represented. Later Masoretic punctuators indicated when the word should be read as feminine despite its masculine spelling to maintain grammatical consistency.

Beyond its role as a simple pronoun, hū’ performs several complex grammatical functions. It frequently acts as a demonstrative pronoun, translated as "that" or "this," particularly when accompanied by the definite article. It also serves as a copula, filling the role of the verb "to be" in sentences that lack a formal verb, such as "the Lord is righteous." Additionally, the word provides emphasis or identifies a subject, often translated as "himself," "the same," or "it is I." In theological contexts, it is used as an emphatic predicate for God, expressing His eternal identity and self-consistency through the phrase "I am He."

Syntactically, hū’ can be used to resume a subject for clarity—especially if a clause is long—or to anticipate a subject yet to be named. It is also employed in explanatory glosses to define or rename locations and people. Related to these linguistic roots are various proper names, such as Elihu and Abihu. The sources also distinguish the noun hōd, which refers to majesty, splendor, and glory. This term describes the awe-inspiring authority of God and monarchs, as well as physical freshness or the beauty of a person's complexion.

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