Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Karyn Traphagen <karyn AT birchbarkstudio.com>]

Dear List,

In Gen 42:33 (and six other places) we find the hiphil m pl imperative  
of the root nun-waw-chet (hannichu). For other middle weak verbs, the  
form usually has a long vowel under the preformative. However, in this  
form we find the preformative heh with a patah followed by a nun with  
a dagesh. Why the vowel reduction and dagesh? So, why hannichu?

Thank you,
Karyn Traphagen
Doctoral Student
Stellenbosch University, South Africa