Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 26/09/2005 02:18, Harold R. Holmyard III wrote:

> Dear Peter,
>
> The reason it's not reduced is that it bears the accent on the first 
> syllable. ...

No, at least not in BHS, where the accent mark is firmly under the resh 
which is the secodn syllable. Anyway, this argument confuses cause and 
effect.

> ... Accordance parses it as construct.
>
>  
Don't expect me to believe this on the basis of an authority. Accordance 
(actually the WTS databse, I think) simply follows traditional 
interpretations in such cases where the actual form is ambiguous. But I 
accept James Price's argument that the accentuation suggests a construct 
form - at least, that that was probably the understanding of the 
Masoretes and of the pronunciation tradtion which they wrote down.

I note that LXX (24:17) has hAI QLIYEIS THS KARDIAS MOU EPLATUNQHSAN, 
"the troubles of my heart were widened", which also supports the 
construct interpretation. This agreement between LXX and the Masoretes 
suggests that this is the original meaning - or at least a very ancient 
understanding.

> > ...
>
>
>
> HH: This form does not reduce when it's construct elsewhere in the OT.
>  

Where elsewhere? Well, I seem to have accepted too easily Mark's 
assertion that

> The only two other times
> that this exact form ZaROTH is used in the Hebrew Bible (Job 5:19 and Psalm
> 71:20, see also Psalm 46:2; Deut. 31:17 & 21) the form is definitely NOT
> construct.
For he has missed Psalm 31:8 which I think must be construct, also Psa 
71:20, Prov 21:23, Isaiah 65:16. And I accept that the first qamats in 
CARAH does not seem to be reduced in any of its inflected forms where 
reduction would be expected, including singular constructs and before 
personal suffixes. So it seems that this noun has an irregular 
infectional paradigm, and the lack of reduction in Psalm 25:17 is not an 
argument that it is absolute - formally, apart from the argument from 
accents, it is ambiguous.

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