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  • From: "B. M. Rocine" <brocine AT twcny.rr.com>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] ISA 42:3 LE'EMET
  • Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2007 23:30:21 -0400

Hi Harold, Ben and others,

Thank you for your answers.

'emet is a noun! Ah, yes, right you are! ;-)

But it is very common for a noun in the genitive case (the one at the end of a construct chain) to be used adjectivally. har qodshi = my holy mountain The noun qodshi is not best thought of as "my holiness"; it is better thought of as an adjective. See Waltke and O'Connor 9.5.3 if you are not familiar with this type of idiom. 'emet is used this way in the construction 'anshey 'emet as I mentioned. I can think of'elohey 'emet ("true God"), sephat 'emet ("truthful speech"), and others, I imagine.

le'emet is not straightforward. It is the only case of lamed being prefixed to the noun 'emet, which we all know is very often prefixed by bet. In fact, except for Isa 42:3 bet is the *only* clitic preposition used with 'emet. Only two or three other times is the independent-standing preposition 'el before 'emet.
Maybe Isa 42:3 is a "typo." ;-)

But since lamed is a particle of possession, perhaps it is intended to put 'emet in the genitive case so it follows a "ghost" construct, that is, an elided construct, something like kol 'ish, ("any man of").

Well, it's probably not worth all this discussion, but at least it is a less rancorous discussion than some of the others.

Shalom,
Bryan

Harold Holmyard wrote:
Hi Bryan,
le'emet in Isa 42:3 is a unique word. Occasionally 'emet is in the genitive case (in a construct chain) and means "faithful (or sincere)," such as 'anshey 'emet "men of truth" or "faithful men." Maybe Isa 42:3 is the BH way to say "one of truth" or "faithful one."

What do you think it means? Do you suppose it might mean "for a faithful (or sincere) person"?

HH: The word "'emet" is not an adjective but a noun. The lamed is adverbial: "in accordance with truth." The prepositional phrase modifies the verb "bring out," or YWCY). Of course, the verbal action is that the man.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard

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B.M. Rocine
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