Hebrew Form Guide

הַמַּֽאֲכִ֨לְךָ֥ (ham·ma·’ă·ḵil·ḵā) in Deuteronomy 8:16: Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular

הַמַּֽאֲכִ֨לְךָ֥ (ham·ma·’ă·ḵil·ḵā) in Deuteronomy 8:16

Source Word

הַמַּֽאֲכִ֨לְךָ֥ ham·ma·’ă·ḵil·ḵā Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular

The BSB+ row for Deuteronomy 8:16 links the English rendering "He fed you" with הַמַּֽאֲכִ֨לְךָ֥, Strong's H398, and the morphology label Art | V-Hifil-Prtcpl-msc | 2ms.

How The Form Affects Interpretation

The form strengthens the verse's memory of divine provision: Israel is addressed as the one fed by the Lord in the wilderness.

How To Communicate It

In explanation, this form can help readers see that the grammar keeps the wilderness provision personal and covenantal: the Lord fed you.

What Not To Say

  • Grammar should serve context, not override it.
  • Do not make Hifil automatically carry every possible causative nuance into the interpretation.
  • Do not make the participle prove duration or habit beyond the wilderness-memory clause.
  • Do not treat the 2ms suffix as a complete theology of Israel; let Deuteronomy 8 identify the addressed people.
  • Do not turn the final-good clause into a prosperity formula detached from humbling and testing.

What Does The Label Mean?

Profile

Hebrew-verb

Part of Speech

Verb

Stem

Hifil

Aspect

Participle

Person

Not marked

Gender

Masculine

Number

Singular

State

Construct

Attached Prefixes

Art

Suffix

Second person masculine singular

Form Label

Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular

Aspect Note

The participle describes the actor or action in the sentence, giving the line a concrete, ongoing, or characteristic force in context.

Verse Role

This form carries the BSB rendering "He fed you" within Deuteronomy 8:16. Deuteronomy 8 calls Israel to remember the wilderness, receive the land as gift, and resist the pride that forgets the Lord's provision.

What The Form Does In This Verse

Attached To

The Lord's wilderness provision in Deuteronomy 8:16, where He fed Israel with manna unknown to their fathers

Governed By

The article, Hifil participle, and 2ms suffix within the wilderness-memory clause

Role In The Phrase

It identifies the Lord as the one feeding Israel and ties the action to His humbling, testing, and final-good purpose in the verse.

What It Is Not Doing

It does not make the Hifil stem or participle prove a full doctrine of providence apart from the wilderness context.

How Much The Form Matters Here

Interpretive Weight

High: The form carries a key memory of the Lord's wilderness provision within Deuteronomy 8's warning against pride.

Syntax Profile

Articular Hifil participle with 2ms suffix. identifies the Lord by His feeding action toward the addressed people. Attached to the clause describing the Lord who fed Israel with manna. Governed by the article, participial form, and direct address context. The participle should be read as part of the wilderness-memory description, not as an abstract grammar doctrine.

Reader Question

Who fed Israel in the wilderness according to this verse? The Lord is described as the one who fed them with manna.

Translation Effect

Direct: The participle and suffix directly support the rendering "He fed you."

Where Caution Is Needed

A Hifil form often signals caused action, but this occurrence should be explained through the concrete feeding clause. A participle can describe an actor, action, or characteristic relation; Deuteronomy 8:16 identifies the Lord by His provision. The second-person suffix belongs to the addressed covenant audience in context.

Fallacies To Avoid

Hifil always means a full causative theology: Hifil helps identify the form, but the verse explains the feeding action in context. participle always means ongoing action: The participle describes the Lord in this wilderness-memory clause; duration must come from context. final good means guaranteed ease: The verse joins final good to humbling, testing, and dependence on the Lord.

How The Interpretation Is Derived

Textual Witness

The BSB+ row for Deuteronomy 8:16 links the English rendering "He fed you" with הַמַּֽאֲכִ֨לְךָ֥, Strong's H398, and the morphology label Art | V-Hifil-Prtcpl-msc | 2ms.

Lexical Identity

H398 is represented here by the lemma אָכַל. In this occurrence, the public guide is limited to the BSB rendering "He fed you" rather than every possible gloss of the entry.

Grammar In Context

The article and participle make the feeding action descriptive within the clause, while the 2ms suffix marks Israel as the addressed recipient of the provision.

Passage Meaning

Deuteronomy 8 calls Israel to remember the wilderness, receive the land as gift, and resist the pride that forgets the Lord's provision.

Canonical Fit

The form fits Deuteronomy's covenant pattern: redemption is remembered, the command is heard, and obedience is taught as life before the Lord.

Communication Use

When teaching Deuteronomy 8:16, use this form to show the Lord as the provider in the wilderness memory before drawing application about humility or gratitude.

Do Not Derive

Do not derive a full doctrine of providence, testing, or prosperity from Art | V-Hifil-Prtcpl-msc | 2ms alone. The form identifies the feeding action in this clause.