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  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Isaiah 7:14
  • Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2007 07:48:54 -0500

All,

I am sorry, but as I pasted my post of March 6, 2007 7:35:10 AM EST onto Mail, the line endings got mixed-up and my name was left out.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
On Mar 6, 2007, at 7:35 AM, Isaac Fried wrote:

Lisbeth,

You are right in saying that HARAH is a predicate adjective. I only
wonder
if it would not be simpler and clearer to use plain English and say that
HARAH is a state the ALMAH is presently in. You are further right in
saying
that ha'alma hehara = the pregnant young woman. The prefixed HE (or
HA) in
HE-HARAH is the personal pronoun HI, English 'she', and it makes HE-
HARAH a
certainty. One does not add the definite article preposition and say
HE-HARAH =
she-pregnant, unless there is a consensus on the woman's pregnancy.
But the
prophet is not saying this; he is not saying HINEH HA-ALMA HA-HARAH,
only
HINEH HA-ALMA HARAH. Why not? Because, in my humble opinion, the
ALMAH was
not yet pregnant at the time Isaiah uttered these words. Otherwise,
what is
the significance of all this being an OT, 'a sign'? The prophet is using
the present state HARAH to impart his conviction on the certainty and
imminence (not
immanence) of the pregnancy destined to presently happen, as further
indicated by HINEH.

Surely what we now surmise was crystal clear (or possibly merely
gossip) to the inhabitants of Jerusalem at the time of good king AXAZ.

On Mar 3, 2007, at 11:22 PM, Lisbeth S. Fried wrote:

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.

Best,
Liz Fried


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