Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Definite Article 7:14

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: JoeWallack AT aol.com
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Definite Article 7:14
  • Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2007 20:57:45 EDT



Dear Joseph,

If you don't like Gesenius, I will give you the same information from
Waltke-O'Connor, Biblical Hebrew Syntax (1990) #15.5.1e, quoting:

The article may also mark nouns definite in the imagination, designating
either a particular person or thing necessarily understood to be present
or vividly portraying someone or something whose identity is not
otherwise indicated . . . . In some cases the proper English rendering
is indefinite:

Gen 42:23 _An interpreter_ was between them.

Gen 18:7 He gave (it) to _a servant_.

Gen 14:13 _One who had escaped_ came.

Num 11:27 _A young man_ came.

2 Sam 15:13 _A messenger_ came.

This usage is also found in the expression WYHY HYWM

1 Sam 1:4 _One day_ Elkanah came to sacrifice.

The analogous English constructions should not mislead: all these
occurrences, and others like them, are definite in Hebrew.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard


JW:
"In some cases the proper English rendering is indefinite:" Well this is an
improvement over Gesenius:

"""Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar_ treats the definite article here as special

but as an example of a category of usage (section #126 q-r). They say:

"Peculiar to Hebrew is the employment of the article to denote a single

person or thing (primarily one which is as yet unknown, and therefore

not capable of being defined) as being present in the mind under given

circumstances. In such cases in English the indefinite article is mostly

used."

Note Gesenius' "In such cases in English the indefinite article is mostly

used.". So we have "In some cases" vs. "mostly used".

You would agree I assume that the Hebrew definite article always indicates
the definite per Hebrew. An English translation of the indefinite would be
the
exception. If it's unlear what the related English should be than it probably
should be translated as definite. Only providing a general exception to the
definite translation does not force an indefinite translation for English
where you think it might aply to a specific passage. You need to demonstrate
WHY
the translation should be indefinite in English.

"The article may also mark nouns definite in the imagination, designating
either a particular person or thing necessarily understood to be present
or vividly portraying someone or something whose identity is not
otherwise indicated"

How do you apply this than to 7:14?



Joseph





************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page