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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] The word "or" in Numbers 13:18-20

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  • From: Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>
  • To: VALEDICTION <info AT valediction.com>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] The word "or" in Numbers 13:18-20
  • Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 04:17:17 -0800

On 19/02/2004 19:28, VALEDICTION wrote:

From: "Harold R. Holmyard III" <hholmyard AT ont.com>

HH: There are grammatical and stylistic reasons. The "H" on the beginning
of XZQ and RPH is an interrogative particle.


Follow-up question, Harold...
How can one tell that the "H" is supposed to represent an interrogative
particle in this case? For instance, I read that the "H" can also signify
the article "the". How do you know when the "H" is indicating a question
and when it is simply used as an article?

Case in point... the "H" is used on the beginning of RPH a number of times
in 2 Samuel 21 (vv. 16, 18, 20, 22) where it is translated "the Rapha" (the
weak one). What is the distinction in this case?


Interrogative H comes with different pointing from the article H. The article is nearly always H with patah followed by dagesh in the following letter, or is lengthened to H with qamats or sometimes segol if the following letter cannot take dagesh - but not always lengthened before he and het. Interrogative H usually has hataf patah or patah with no following dagesh. And so in most cases there is no ambiguity in a pointed text, although I think there may be before he and het.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/





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