Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yitzhak Sapir <yitzhaksapir AT gmail.com>]

On 10/30/05, B. M. Rocine wrote:
> B-Haverim,
>
> What do you all think of the possibility that the
> midwives of Exo 1:15 were Egyptians rather that
> Hebrews?

Shalom,

While a construct phrase is possible here, I don't
think it is legitimate to read it that way.  First, two
midwives are involved and the verse clearly states
their names.  So it seems very likely that the
"myaldot" are used with the definite article.  In a
construct phrase the definite article would not be
possible.  If one wanted to use the definite article
one would say "lamyaldot asher la(ivriyot."  I think
this is what Harold was getting at.  Besides, the
way it is stated now, read as a construct, would
suggest that the Hebrew women had midwives,
whereas it could just have stated "limyaldot
ha(ibryiim" which would say "the midwives of the
Hebrews."  Why the specification in that case of
Hebrew women rather than Hebrews in general,
especially when the text would be speaking of the
community of Hebrew women in general.  All of
this makes it highly unlikely that a construct
phrase is involved here, in my opinion.

Yitzhak Sapir