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PricingAboutSupportConstruct Chains
Smikhut: two (or more) nouns in a row, the first in construct, the last carrying definiteness for the chain.
The Shape
English "the word of the king" is Hebrew דְּבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ. The first noun shortens or changes vowels; it cannot take the article. If the last noun is definite (article, name, or suffix), the whole chain is definite.
the word of the king
Bethel; house of God
man of God
Longer Chains
Three-noun chains are common. Keep the English "of" until the last noun, then decide whether a smoother gloss is better. Names in construct (בֵּית לֶחֶם) become place names in translation.
vessels of silver
Bethlehem
Adjectives
An adjective agreeing with the whole chain usually waits until after it, and matches definiteness. Construct is a noun-to-noun bond, not a general "of" particle.
Read Next
The Definite Article
הַ plus a following dagesh is the basic "the." Vowels under ה change before gutturals.
Pronominal Suffixes
Person is glued to nouns, prepositions, and some particles: my, your, his, our.
The 100 Most Common Words
A short list does most of the work in Biblical Hebrew. Particles and a handful of verbs open whole chapters.