Biblical Hebrew Forum

["B. M. Rocine" <brocine AT twcny.rr.com>]

B-Haverim,

One W and O'C "species" does indeed trouble me, the "attributive genitive."
In sect. 9.5.3b #1 we have

Ex 29:29
ubigdey haqqodesh
holy garments

I think the understanding is incorrect.  I think the reference is to "the
garments of the holiness."  In other words, the plain understanding is *not*
that the garments were holy or sacred.  Rather, the garments marked the
holiness or the seperation of the priesthood.  Syntactically speaking,
doesn't the fact that qodesh is a noun with the definite article attached
fight against the idea that the genitive is attributive?  When both
syntax/morphology *and* context give a plain reading, why do we get to make
this sort of leap to "genitive of attribution?"

For another example, 9.5.3b, 21, "attributive genitive" w/ pronominal suffix
attached:

Ps 4:2
'elohey cidqi
my righteous God

It seems to me that "the God of my righteousness" and "my righteous God" are
significantly different readings.  "the God of my righteousness" seems
readable and appropriate to me.  Again, both the syntax/morphology and
context seem to be plain and readable.  *Why* should we interpret cedeq as
an attribute and *why* do we apply the pronominal suffix to the whole chain
rather than to cedeq only?

Shalom,
Bryan


B. M. Rocine
Living Word Church
6101 Court St. Rd.
Syracuse, NY 13206

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