Wednesday, March 2, 2022

The Hebrew verb בנה (bānáh) means "to build." Given the wide variety of things that are constructed throughout the Hebrew Bible, בנה (bānáh) occurs regularly. Some common uses are the construction of altars, as in Genesis 22:9: "Abraham built (ויבן) an altar there and laid the wood in order." Second Samuel 5:9 mentions the building of cities: "David built (ויבן) the city all around." Second Samuel 7:13 talks about building houses (specifically temples): "He shall buildבנה) a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." Genesis 2:22 shows a unique usage of בנה (bānáh), when the word is used to describe the creation of Eve: "And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made (ויבן, literally "built") into a woman."