Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Lisbeth S. Fried" <lizfried AT umich.edu>]

Dear Jack,
I intersperse my comment below.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org 
> [mailto:b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On
> Behalf Of Harold Holmyard
> Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2007 9:36 PM
> To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Isaiah 7:14
>
> 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.

LF: Harold is correct, it's an adjective, in this case a predicate adjective. 
When the noun has an article the adjective may or may not also have the 
article, and the sense changes accordingly.
ha'alma hara == the young woman is pregnant.
ha'alma hehara == the pregnant young woman.
>
> >  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".
LF: How about The young woman is pregnant and giving birth to (i.e., 
delivering) a son.
>
> 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.
LF: I.e., "the woman I'm pointing to".
>
> Yours,
> Harold Holmyard

Best,
Liz Fried