Biblical Hebrew Forum

[kgraham0938 AT comcast.net]

I think toviym is plural because it is agreeing with dodeyka which is plural 
here.  A predicat adjective agrees with its noun in gender and number.
With regards to your other question, the NET bible offers a pretty good 
solution.
Heb "May he kiss me…." The shift from 3rd person masculine singular forms 
("he" and "his") in 1:2a to 2nd person masculine singular forms ("your") in 
1:2b–4 has led some to suggest that the Beloved addresses the Friends in 1:2a 
and then her Lover in 1:2b–4. A better solution is that the shift from the 
3rd person masculine singular to 2nd person masculine singular forms is an 
example of heterosis of person: a poetic device in which the grammatical 
person shifts from line to line (M. H. Pope, Song of Songs [AB], 297). The 
third person is put for the second person (e.g, Gen 49:4; Deut 32:15; Ps 
23:2–5; Isa 1:29; 42:20; 54:1; Jer 22:24; Amos 4:1; Micah 7:19; Lam 3:1; Song 
4:2; 6:6) (E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 524–25). Similar shifts occur 
in ancient Near Eastern love literature (cf. S. N. Kramer, The Sacred 
Marriage Rite, 92, 99). Most translations render 1:2 literally and preserve 
the shifts from 3rd person masculine singular to 2nd person masculine 
singular forms (KJV, AV, N
ASB, NIV); others render 1:2 with 2nd person masculine singular forms 
throughout (RSV, NJPS).
--
Kelton Graham 
KGRAHAM0938 AT comcast.net

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: Bob MacDonald <bobmacdonald AT shaw.ca> 

> Thank you all for the responses to my question. 
> 
> I find a few other questions in that first section of the Song: is there 
> grammatical significance in the tovim? - to me it seems an unexpected 
> plural. 
> 
> And why does the poet move between third and second person? (this is 
> perhaps 
> an off list poetics question) 
> 
> Bob 
> 
> Bob MacDonald 
> Victoria BC 
> http://gx.ca 
> http://bmd.gx.ca 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________ 
> b-hebrew mailing list 
> b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org 
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew 
>From bobmacdonald AT shaw.ca  Sun Jan 28 00:51:03 2007
Return-Path: <bobmacdonald AT shaw.ca>
X-Original-To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Delivered-To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Received: from pd4mo3so.prod.shaw.ca (shawidc-mo1.cg.shawcable.net
        [24.71.223.10])
        by lists.ibiblio.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 523574C00E
        for <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>; Sun, 28 Jan 2007 00:51:03 -0500 
(EST)
Received: from pd4mr4so.prod.shaw.ca
        (pd4mr4so-qfe3.prod.shaw.ca [10.0.141.215]) by l-daemon
        (Sun ONE Messaging Server 6.0 HotFix 1.01 (built Mar 15 2004))
        with ESMTP id <0JCK0057QDL30C10@l-daemon> for
        b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org; Sat, 27 Jan 2007 22:51:03 -0700 (MST)
Received: from pn2ml5so.prod.shaw.ca ([10.0.121.149])
        by pd4mr4so.prod.shaw.ca (Sun Java System Messaging Server 6.2-7.05
        (built Sep
        5 2006)) with ESMTP id <0JCK008QPDL149C0 AT pd4mr4so.prod.shaw.ca> for
        b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org; Sat, 27 Jan 2007 22:51:03 -0700 (MST)
Received: from L03 ([24.69.78.15])
        by l-daemon (Sun ONE Messaging Server 6.0 HotFix 1.01 (built Mar 15
        2004)) with ESMTP id <0JCK000O4DL0A4B5@l-daemon> for
        b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org; Sat, 27 Jan 2007 22:51:01 -0700 (MST)
Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2007 21:50:22 -0800
From: Bob MacDonald <bobmacdonald AT shaw.ca>
In-reply-to: 
<012820070357.23617.45BC1F410005E35000005C412200737478C8CCC7CF030E080E9D0905 AT comcast.net>
To: 'b-hebrew' <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Message-id: <01f401c742a0$33ba5ac0$6400a8c0@L03>
MIME-version: 1.0
X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2962
X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook 11
Thread-index: AcdCkIBig1EcO6HLRtOAWDTAnjMnagADobjA
Content-Type: text/plain;
        charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.9
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Song of Solomon 1:1
X-BeenThere: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.9
Precedence: list
List-Id: Biblical Hebrew Forum <b-hebrew.lists.ibiblio.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew>,
        <mailto:b-hebrew-request AT lists.ibiblio.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/b-hebrew>
List-Post: <mailto:b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
List-Help: <mailto:sympa AT lists.ibiblio.org?subject=HELP>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew>,
        <mailto:b-hebrew-request AT lists.ibiblio.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2007 05:51:03 -0000

Thanks, Kelton

 

And the tovim of verse 3? Is shemaneika likewise plural?

 

We tend not to pluralize these words in English - love / oil /(except
unguents)

 

I think the shift of person is as your note indicates - as the Psalmist
often shifts from reporting to covenantal dialogue - so the poet does here,
almost as if she was writing in the presence of the beloved.

 

Bob

 

Bob MacDonald

Victoria BC

http://gx.ca

http://bmd.gx.ca

 

  _____  

From: kgraham0938 AT comcast.net [mailto:kgraham0938 AT comcast.net] 
Sent: Saturday, January 27, 2007 7:58 PM
To: Bob MacDonald; 'b-hebrew'
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Song of Solomon 1:1

 

I think toviym is plural because it is agreeing with dodeyka which is plural
here.  A predicat adjective agrees with its noun in gender and number.

With regards to your other question, the NET bible offers a pretty good
solution.

Heb "May he kiss me.." The shift from 3rd person masculine singular forms
("he" and "his") in
<http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Sol%201:2')> 1:2a to 2nd
person masculine singular forms ("your") in
<http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Sol%201:2-4')> 1:2b-4 has
led some to suggest that the Beloved addresses the Friends in
<http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Sol%201:2')> 1:2a and
then her Lover in
<http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Sol%201:2-4')> 1:2b-4. A
better solution is that the shift from the 3rd person masculine singular to
2nd person masculine singular forms is an example of heterosis of person: a
poetic de vice in which the grammatical person shifts from line to line (M.
H. Pope, Song of Songs [AB], 297). The third person is put for the second
person (e.g,
<http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Gen%2049:4')> Gen 49:4;
<http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Deu%2032:15')> Deut
32:15;  <http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Psa%2023:2-5')>
Ps 23:2-5;  <http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Isa%201:29')>
Isa 1:29;  <http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Isa%2042:20')>
42:20;  <http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Isa%2054:1')>
54:1;  <http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Jer%2022:24')> Jer
22:24;  <http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Amo%204:1')> Amos
4:1;  <http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Mic%207:19')> Micah
7:19;  <http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Lam%203:1')> Lam
3:1;  <http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Sol%204:2')> Song
4:2;  <http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Sol%206:6')> 6:6)
(E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 524-25). Similar s hifts occur in
ancient Near Eastern love literature (cf. S. N. Kramer, The Sacred Marriage
Rite, 92, 99). Most translations render
<http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Sol%201:2')> 1:2
literally and preserve the shifts from 3rd person masculine singular to 2nd
person masculine singular forms (KJV, AV, NASB, NIV); others render
<http://mailcenter.comcast.net/wm/toolbar/BwRefEE('Sol%201:2')> 1:2 with 2nd
person masculine singular forms throughout (RSV, NJPS).

--
Kelton Graham 
KGRAHAM0938 AT comcast.net

 

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: Bob MacDonald <bobmacdonald AT shaw.ca> 

> Thank you all for the responses to my question. 
> 
> I find a few other questions in that first section of the Song: is there 
> grammatical significance in the tovim? - to me it seems an unexpected 
> plural. 
> 
> And why does the poet move between third and second person? (this is
perhaps 
> an off list poetics question) 
> 
> Bob 
> 
> Bob MacDonald 
> Victoria BC 
> http://gx.ca 
> http://bmd.gx.ca 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________ 
> b-hebrew mailing list 
> b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org 
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew