Biblical Hebrew Forum

["K Randolph" <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Dear Yaakov:

This is a participle, part of a subordinate clause. The whole phrase is:
 מחשׂף הלבן אשׁר על המקלות
MX&P HLBN  )$R (L HVQLWT
making bare the white which was upon the sticks.

The basic meaning of the verb is "to make bare" often by means of stripping 
off.

Does this help?

Karl W. Randolph.

On Nov 18, 2007 3:31 AM, Yaakov Stein <yaakov_s AT rad.com> wrote:
>
> I was wondering about the grammatical form of the word MX&OP.
>
> The root clearly means "to expose" or "to reveal"
> from comparison with Is52:10 and Ps29:9.
>
> I always read the sentence as if it were LX&OP, i.e.
>    peeling the bark (in order) to expose the white
>
> but Rashi and others remark that MX&OP is GYLWY, i.e.
>    peeling the bark (and thus) exposing the white
>
> an easier possibility for M--O- is a noun form (similar to MXSOR, MXSOM)
>    peeling the bark (and discovering) the exposed white
>
> (Incidentally, in modern Hebrew this noun form is used
> for an "exposed" neckline.)
>
> However, the first reading requires a L, the second should be X&YPH,
> and the third seems to be missing some connectives.
>
> Can anyone explain this grammatical form ?
>
> Yaakov (J) Stein