Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>]

Here are two instances of a dagesh having apparently the sole purpose  
of marking the first letter of a word; specifically, to warn against  
the moving of an U from the end of a word to the beginning of the next.
1. קוּמוּ צְּאוּ מִתּוֹךְ עַמִּי, Exodus  
12:31, to prevent the reading QUM UC)U.
2. קוּמוּ סְּעוּ וְעִבְרוּ אֶת-נַחַל  
אַרְנֹן, Deuteronomy 2:24, to prevent the reading QUM US(U.
Isaac Fried, Boston University