Syntax Search and Missing Results

Hi there,

I am new to syntax search, so I am looking for help with an issue where certain results are not showing up.

I am trying to find instances similar to the end of Lev. 16:10, where there is a clause with שׁלח and an indirect object with a prepositional ל (for those unfamiliar with Hebrew, the ל would be attached to a word separate from שׁלח). While the search parameters are producing some verses, the results do not include Lev. 16:10, so I am wondering if any of you have any ideas:

Here is the BHS WIVU Constituency Tree of Leviticus 16:10 for reference:

Screenshot 2026-03-19 at 12.52.03 PM.png

Here is Leviticus 16:26, which does show up in the search results and has grammar parallel to 16:10:

Screenshot 2026-03-19 at 12.52.36 PM.png

The issue seems to be with the "phrase" branch, as deleting it and keeping around only the "word" branch results in 800+ results of שׁלח, including Lev. 16:10.

Skipping levels is, of course, enabled. As both 16:10 and 26 have the same branches (Phrase → Phrase Atom → Clause → Clause Atom → ל), it does not seem this would influence the results.

Any knowledge is appreciated.

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Graham Criddle

I'm finding it difficult to match the syntax search you have created and the information in the Wivu chart (but I don't know any Hebrew which might not be helping!)

I constructed this search - which seems to more closely match the tree structure

And it does include Lev 16:10 in its search results

Does this help at all?

HoustonB

@Graham Criddle Sadly, this approach does not work. We want the ל (meaning 'to/toward/for') prefixed to the beginning of words in the same clause as שׁלח (to send), but we do not want it prefixed to שׁלח directly. My goal is to find all examples where phrases along the lines of "X is sent (שׁלח) to Y (ל + y)" appear.

Here are what results should look like:

Just for context, my research is on Azazel (ל + עזאזל) in Lev. 16 and how, to the original reader, the idea of a goat being sent 'to/toward/for Azazel' would have been understood. Is it moving on behalf of Azazel (the 'for' meaning)? Is it traveling to Azazel? I believe the relationship of sending (signified by שׁלח) and the prepositionally prefixed עזאזל is a natural path to answer this question. All the instances I've found, aside from Num 13.2, use a directional meaning. I want to get a final number that I can report in a paper where I am discussing this topic, but the fact that 16:10 suggests to me that more verses may be missing.

HoustonB

I am beginning to believe this is a bug, or there are some yet-to-be-learned rules for syntax trees. I've been playing with this throughout today, and when I delete the שׁלח branch, Lev. 16:10 shows up as expected, and when I delete the prepositional ל branch, it shows up as well. Why they aren't both working together, that I can't understand.

Skipping levels is enabled on all parameters, so there shouldn't be any conflicting issues. Maybe something with it being a clause? While that seems to be where the problem lies, it's unclear why that would be an issue.