Biblical Hebrew Forum

[George Athas <George.Athas AT moore.edu.au>]

Hi Les.

In Deut 13.12, you will notice that the Masoretes have placed a metheg (the 
vertical stroke) under the initial hireq. This indicates that the hireq 
should be read as a long vowel, not a short vowel. If this were written out 
fully (plene spelling), it would appear as וייראון. However, it is spelled 
defectively in this instance.

How do we know it’s the word for ‘fear’ and not the word for ‘see’? If you 
look at Deut 31.12–13, you’ll find that ‘hearing’ and ‘fearing’ seem to go 
together in Deuteronomistic parlance, and in that order (hearing leading to 
fearing). There are no occasions in Deuteronomy where ‘hearing’ leads to 
‘seeing’.


GEORGE ATHAS
Moore Theological College (Sydney, Australia)
www.moore.edu.au