Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Harold Holmyard <hholmyard AT ont.com>]

Dear Jack,
> I have a question or two about Isaiah 7:14.  Let me say at the outset that I 
> do not care whether the feminine singular noun ‘LMH means virgin or young 
> woman.  After the atnach at ‘WT up to the zeqef qatan at BN there are five 
> words - HNH H‘LMH HRM

HH: You mean HRH, not HRM.

>  VYLDT BN.  There is a demonstrative particle (DP), a feminine singular noun 
> (FSN1), a second feminine singular noun (FSN 2),

HH: This (FSN 2) is not a noun but an adjective.

>  a qal feminine singular active participle (FSAP), and a singular masculine 
> noun (MSN).
> My first question relates to FSN1 and FSN2, are these nouns together a singular construct?  Both retain the qamets and the terminal H and neither shortened the qamets to a patah or added a terminal T.  
> My second question pertains to FSAP.  Is this treated as a noun or a verb, i.e. can it be read as a noun “one who gives birth” or can it only be read as “she will be giving birth”.

HH: It is treated as an adjective, parallel with HRH. But it is also 
treated verbally because it takes the object BN. Participles, of course, 
can have both nominal and verbal functions.
>   In the former case the structure changes to DP, FSN1, FSN2, FSN3, MSN.  
> This of course leaves the phrase without a verb.
>   
HH: The verb is understood.
> My last question is about the definite article attached to FSN1.  Is there 
> some significance to this noun being only the noun to have a definite article?
>   
HH: Yes, it is the subject.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard