Robert Sacks introduces us to the beginning of Hebrew in several ways at once. He traces biblical Hebrew’s verb-centered vocabulary and grammar to their origins and parallels in other Semitic languages, by asking, What pre-spoken need would have prompted ancient speakers-in-the-making to come up with this or that expression or, subsequently, to add some specific refinement to an already current expression? In this way, he lets us consider how the structure of the language emerged from the intention of its originators.