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b-hebrew - re: Majestic Plural

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Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

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  • From: yochanan bitan <ButhFam AT compuserve.com>
  • To: Roger Hutchinson <rhutchin AT macol.net>
  • Cc: b-hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: re: Majestic Plural
  • Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 02:30:19 -0400


on so-called "Majestic Plural", the only problem with the term is that the
idiom is commonplace and not limited to 'kings' and 'royalty' like the
English word 'majesty'. You might think of it as the 'authoritative
plural', or 'respectful plural'.

Get a concordance of the Hebrew Bible and look at
be`alim, used for a singular 'owner'.
adonim, used for a singular 'master'
elohim, used for singular 'God'.

You will find these at all strata, from legal (Ex 21) and narrative (Gn 24)
literature in Tora and onwards.

bivraxot
Randall Buth




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