He locale הֵא הַמְּגַמָּה he hammegammah
The directional ה is an ָה added to the end of a noun or adverb meaning “to, toward” — אֶרֶץ (earth) → אַרְצָה (to the earth), מִצְרַיִם (Egypt) → מִצְרַיְמָה (to Egypt). It is unstressed, which sets it apart from the stressed feminine ending ָה. It is absent from Genesis 1–2 but frequent from Abram’s journeys on. This page shows its forms and uses in real words from Genesis.
“the he of direction”
Colour key blue = added at the front · orange = added at the end · purple = a mark inside (dot · doubled letter · changed vowel) · underline = the word this page is about
1What the directional ה is
The directional ה is an ָה (-ah) added to the end of a noun or adverb, meaning “to, toward” (direction of movement). אֶרֶץ (earth) → אַרְצָה (to the earth) · שָׁם (there) → שָׁמָּה (thither).
This ָה is unstressed; the stress stays where it was (אַ֫רְצָה ARtsah). That is the key to telling it from the feminine ending ָה, which carries the stress.
Counted in the OSHB morphology, 1,083 words in the Old Testament carry the directional ה. It does not occur in Genesis 1–5 (the first case is מִלְמַעְלָה in 6:16) and becomes frequent from Genesis 11–12 on, as Abram sets out.
2The name — הֵא הַמְּגַמָּה he hammegammah
Hebrew grammar calls it הֵא הַמְּגַמָּה (he hammegammah, “the he of direction”): הֵא (he) is the name of the letter ה, מְגַמָּה (megammah) “direction, aim.”
English grammars say he locale (Latin locale, “of place”), directional he, or directive ending.
3At a glance — how to recognize the directional ה
- ָה at the endָה is added to a noun, place name or adverb — מִצְרַיְמָה (to Egypt) · שָׁמָּה (thither).
- Stress stays earlierThe syllable before ה keeps the stress — אַ֫רְצָה. The feminine ending is stressed (אֲדָמָ֫ה ground).
- No dot in הThe 3fs suffix ָהּ (her) has a dot (mappiq) in ה; the directional ָה has none.
- With verbs of motionIt often stands with verbs of movement: הָלַךְ (go) · בּוֹא (come) · יָרַד (go down) · יָצָא (go out).
4Forms with the directional ה — from Genesis
Left: the base word; middle: with the directional ה. All occur in Genesis (places found in OSHB).
| Base word | Directional | Reading | Meaning | Genesis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֶרֶץ earth | אַרְצָה | artsah | to the land | 12:5 |
| מִצְרַיִם Egypt | מִצְרַיְמָה | mitsraymah | to Egypt | 12:10 |
| שָׁמַיִם heavens | הַשָּׁמַיְמָה | hashshamaymah | toward the heavens | 15:5 |
| חוּץ outside | הַחוּצָה | haḥutsah | outside | 15:5 |
| בַּיִת house | הַבַּיְתָה | habbaytah | into the house | 43:26 |
| הַר mountain | הָהָרָה | haharah | to the mountain | 19:17 |
| אֹהֶל tent | הָאֹהֱלָה | ha’ohelah | into the tent | 24:67 |
| שְׁאוֹל Sheol | שְׁאֹלָה | she’olah | to Sheol | 37:35 |
| צָפוֹן north | צָפֹנָה | tsafonah | northward | 13:14 |
| נֶגֶב Negev | נֶגְבָּה | negbah | southward | 13:14 |
| קֶדֶם east | קֵדְמָה | qedmah | eastward | 13:14 |
| יָם sea (west) | יָמָּה | yammah | westward | 13:14 |
| שָׁם there | שָׁמָּה | shammah | thither | 19:20 |
| סְדֹם Sodom | סְדֹמָה | sedomah | toward Sodom | 18:22 |
Segolate nouns (אֶרֶץ נֶגֶב קֶדֶם בַּיִת) add ָה to their base (אַרְצ- נֶגְבּ- קֵדְמ- בַּיְת-), as with any ending (see Segolate nouns). יָם and שָׁם double their final מ, which takes a dot.
5“To …” — real examples from the Bible
All from Genesis. Read them with the final ָה in mind, and the stress that stays before it.
artsah — to the ground
אֶרֶץ (earth) + the directional ָה. וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ אָרְצָה “and he bowed himself to the ground.” The ָה shows movement toward the ground. The first vowel is ָ instead of ַ because of the pause at the end of the verse — in 12:5 it is אַרְצָה.
YLVAnd he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men (ish) were standing over against him; and he saw, and ran to meet them from the opening of the tent, and bowed himself to the earth,
artsah — to the land (of Canaan)
וַיֵּצְאוּ לָלֶכֶת אַרְצָה כְּנַעַן וַיָּבֹאוּ אַרְצָה כְּנָעַן “and they went out to go to the land of Canaan, and they came to the land of Canaan.” אַרְצָה is joined to כְּנַעַן like a construct: “to the land of Canaan.” The directional ָה can stand on a construct. It occurs twice in the verse.
YLVAnd Abram took Sarai his wife (ishah), and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions which they had gathered, and the soul (nephesh) which they had made in Haran; and they went out to go to the land of Canaan, and they came to the land of Canaan.
mitsraymah — to Egypt
מִצְרַיִם (Egypt) + the directional ָה. וַיֵּרֶד אַבְרָם מִצְרַיְמָה “and Abram went down to Egypt.” The יִ of ַיִם shrinks to יְ and מָה is added. It attaches directly to place names — this one letter gives the direction without any preposition.
YLVAnd there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was heavy in the land.
haḥutsah — outside
The article + חוּץ (outside) + the directional ָה. וַיּוֹצֵא אֹתוֹ הַחוּצָה “and he brought him outside.” A noun with the article can take the directional ָה. The same verse has הַשָּׁמַיְמָה “toward the heavens.”
YLVAnd he brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And he said to him, "So shall your seed be."
hashshamaymah — toward the heavens
The article + שָׁמַיִם (heavens) + the directional ָה. הַבֶּט־נָא הַשָּׁמַיְמָה “look now toward the heavens.” Not going to heaven, but the eyes turned toward it — still the directional ָה. As in מִצְרַיְמָה, ַיִם becomes ַיְמָה.
YLVAnd he brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And he said to him, "So shall your seed be."
ha’ohelah — into the tent
The article + אֹהֶל (tent) + the directional ָה. וַיְבִאֶהָ יִצְחָק הָאֹהֱלָה שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ “and Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother.” The second vowel of אֹהֶל shrinks to ֱ (ḥatef segol): as ָה lengthens the word, an earlier vowel reduces.
YLVAnd Isaac brought her to the tent of Sarah his mother, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife (ishah), and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother.
habbaytah — into the house
The article + בַּיִת (house) + the directional ָה. וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת־לוֹט אֲלֵיהֶם הַבָּיְתָה “and they brought Lot to them into the house.” As with segolate nouns, ָה is added to the base בַּיְת. The long vowel in בָּ is due to the main pause in mid-verse (atnaḥ).
YLVAnd the men (ish) put forth their hand, and brought Lot to them into the house, and shut the door.
6Why the stress does not move to the end
- 1. The feminine ending ָהThe feminine ָה is part of the noun and carries the stress — אֲדָמָ֫ה (adaMAH, ground, 2:7) · חַיָּ֫ה (ḥayYAH, living, 2:7).
- 2. The directional ָהThe directional ָה is a tail added to a finished word, so the stress stays in place — אַ֫רְצָה (ARtsah).
- 3. The Masoretic accents show itThe accent signs of the Masoretic text sit on the stressed syllable. In Gen 12:5 אַ֣רְצָה the accent is on the first letter א; in 2:7 הָאֲדָמָ֔ה it is on the last letter מ.
- 4. So when readingThe same ָה with the stress before it means “to …”; with the stress on it, it is the feminine ending. Together with the sense (is there movement?) they are rarely confused.
7What the directional ה does
(1) To a place — the most common use: מִצְרַיְמָה “to Egypt” (12:10) · הַבָּיְתָה “into the house” (19:10) · סְדֹמָה “toward Sodom” (18:22).
(2) Compass directions — צָפֹנָה וָנֶגְבָּה וָקֵדְמָה וָיָמָּה “northward, southward, eastward, westward” (13:14 · 28:14).
(3) The adverb שָׁמָּה “thither” — on שָׁם (there) it gives direction, and it also serves as the resumptive word in relative clauses: כָּל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר נָבוֹא שָׁמָּה “every place where we come” (20:13).
(4) Direction of the eyes or body — “toward,” without actually going there: הַבֶּט־נָא הַשָּׁמַיְמָה “look toward the heavens” (15:5) · וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ אָרְצָה “he bowed to the ground” (18:2).
(5) Time (rare) — מִיָּמִים יָמִימָה “from days to days” (Exod 13:10).
8Directions · שָׁמָּה · time — real examples
tsafonah — northward
צָפוֹן (north) + ָה. צָפֹנָה וָנֶגְבָּה וָקֵדְמָה וָיָמָּה “northward and southward and eastward and westward.” All four directions carry the directional ָה — נֶגֶב (Negev, south) → נֶגְבָּה · קֶדֶם (east) → קֵדְמָה · יָם (sea = west) → יָמָּה. “-ward” is the normal way to state a compass direction.
YLVAnd YHWH said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift up now your eyes, and see from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,
she’olah — to Sheol
שְׁאוֹל (Sheol) + ָה. כִּי־אֵרֵד אֶל־בְּנִי אָבֵל שְׁאֹלָה “for I will go down to my son mourning, to Sheol.” “To (a person)” is the preposition אֶל, “to (a place)” the directional ָה — both in one sentence.
YLVAnd all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted, and said, "For I will go down to my son mourning, to Sheol." And his father wept for him.
shammah — thither, there
The adverb שָׁם (there) + ָה = “thither.” לָנוּס שָׁמָּה … אִמָּלְטָה נָּא שָׁמָּה “to flee there … let me escape there.” It attaches to adverbs as well as nouns. The dot in מ is the doubled final letter of the short word שָׁם. שָׁמָּה occurs 17 times in Genesis without a conjunction (counted in OSHB).
YLVBehold now, this city is near to flee there, and it is a little one; let me escape there — is it not a little one? — and my soul (nephesh) shall live."
yamimah — (from days) to days — year by year
יָמִים (days) + ָה. מִיָּמִים יָמִימָה “from days to days.” Here the directional ָה is used of time, not place — “from … to ….” Such temporal use is rare.
YLVAnd you shall keep this statute (chuqqah) at its appointed time (moed) from days to days.
9Easy to confuse — four kinds of final ָה
(1) The feminine ending ָה — stressed at the end: הָאֲדָמָה (ground, 2:7) · שָׁנָה (year). The noun itself is feminine.
(2) The 3fs suffix ָהּ (her, it) — with a dot (mappiq) in ה: לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ “to work it and to keep it” (2:15). The directional ָה has no dot.
(3) The verbal “she” ָה — the 3fs perfect: נִשְׁחָתָה “she was corrupt” (6:12). It follows a verbal root and has nothing to do with direction.
(4) The directional ָה — stress before it, no dot, usually with a verb of motion: אַרְצָה “to the land.”
Fixed words with a preposition. In some words the directional ָה has fused with prepositions and its “to” sense has faded. מִלְמַעְלָה “from above” (6:16) is מִן (from) + לְ + מַעְלָה (upward: מַעַל “above” with the directional ָה).